Something Worth Waiting For
by anti-viper
Summary: After roughly four years apart, Eoleo has arrived at Yamata to visit Himi once more. Though excited by the prospect of seeing her again, he can't help but wonder what things have changed, what has stayed the same, and what the welcome will be like.
1. Four Years Later

_I'm getting ahead of myself. I think, "Ah, I successfully shipped Rief and Karis" and that somehow leads to me trying my hand at shipping, God forbid, Eoleo and Himi. Before you throw up, or click the X getting you the hell away from this demented pedophilia, let me make it clear that any romance beyond light flirting and a quick kiss between the two occurs WHEN HIMI IS EIGHTEEN AND THEREFORE OF AGE._

_Even then, people will understandably look at the age gap, but Piers and Nowell have a much (much, much, much, much) larger age gap. I think this is one of the reasons I find this ship interesting: even if technically, Himi being eighteen makes this shipping legally fine (and, seeing as Golden Sun is based with at least a slight ancient timesy tilt, it's very possible the age of marriage in the games could be younger), there's just something slightly odd about it._

_Because even though it's them getting together when they are legally allowed to, it means that the seeds of that relationship were sewn long before that. Obviously, in this case, that time would be during their journey to stop the Grave Eclipse. So, even if they didn't actually do anything romantic during that time-frame, it's that knowledge that they probably were thinking about it or wanted to that is very concerning._

_Also, I think it's just hard to picture Eoleo and Himi together because, well, the images you will naturally picture the characters as presented in Dark Dawn, ie a really tiny girl and a really huge guy. It just seems off._

_That being said, I've made this as un-creepy as I could. I'd also like to think it asks and tries to answer some really awkward question about love between two people who are divided by age. I will try to approach the subject tactfully. Point is: you will not see an underage Himi and Eoleo doing things of a sexual or deeply-romantic nature. Just putting that out there to ease anyone's worry over that happening. Okay, now that I got all the anti-pedophile disclaimer crap out of the way, I'm going to leave off until the end._

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><p>Chapter 1: Four Years Later<p>

"Cap'n!" Garland, the first mate of the vessel The Brink of Dawn, shouted as he saluted. "We have reached the city of Yamata. What would ye have us do?"

The man whom he addressed, a hulking giant who was coated with more scars than smooth skin and whose red hair streamed down his back like a maroon waterfall, did not turn, but replied in a thick voice, "Go with two or three other men: let the city know who we are and that we are here in peace. I don't care how long it's been since we've plundered: people are never too happy to see us, are they?"

Eoleo turned now to his first mate, a wry smile painted on his harsh face. The king of pirates had been well aware that they had arrived, having been unable to sleep the night before and having been simply staring out his cabin's window for hours on end.

Despite his crew's insistence, Eoleo still felt bad about having such a large and cozy room. Indeed, he was a minimalist: he would have been much happier in a cramped room the size of his mates', rather than have all the space he now possessed, with a nice hammock perhaps, instead of the down mattress upon his king-sized bed. Of course, that mattress had certain memories that made him treasure it; it was the only piece of furniture from his father's old ship that he had transferred to the Dawn.

"Aye, cap'n!" The sailor replied, saluting once more. "Er… weapons?"

Eoleo bit his lip as he mulled his first mate's question over. Surely the Yamatains would not be pleased to see them, but they would be significantly less pleased to see them if they had swords strapped to their sides. "No swords. We come in peace. I'm not about to start a battle," Eoleo said in return, staring pointedly at his own axe. If worse came to worse, he was not afraid of the entire Yamatain army. Of course, that just wasn't going to happen. He would not let it, it would completely mangle the reason he was here in the first place.

"Aye, aye. Bad way to ask a girl out; by invading her country," Garland said, gulping as Eoleo gave him a steely glare. "Uh… that came out wrong. I'll just… go… set out the party." Before Eoleo could respond, his first mate scurried off, clearly worried he was in hot water for speaking his mind, and bringing up the true reason that they were docked at Yamata.

The Mars Adept sighed, and turned back to the window, dragging his rough and calloused fingertips across the gleaming wood frame. They had been worn from slamming his trusty axe into skull after skull of monstrosities, and from the numerous amount of rope-work he had done over the years. His hands were much too hard and bruised to be fit for the hands of a lady, in his mind, and yet here he was for that very purpose.

He sighed again, now letting both hands rest on the window-sill. Himi. What a pretty name. He had heard it for the first time on this very island, less than four years ago. And yet, it felt like so much longer. Of course, they had kept in contact; at least once a month they had shared letters via messenger pigeon.

But, it just wasn't the same as being face to face. Of course, he was scared as hell to meet her face to face, but he was also extremely excited. Himi had claimed to have grown in her most recent letters, and he was looking forward to seeing said growth. As much as he had loved conversing with her, making eye contact by tilting his head downward at a forty-five degree angle had gotten really painful really fast. He was still trying to work out a few of those kinks (along with some new ones… he was nearing forty, after all).

He imagined her figure had filled out a bit more as well… more of the hourglass shape, with her hips a bit more pronounced. Of course, she would look perfect no matter what. It wouldn't hurt though, if her… er… chest had gotten a bit more oomph either.

Eoleo slapped himself, hard, and swore at his own perversion. None of that mattered, and he was a buffoon for thinking about it. As long as she herself hadn't changed (and he knew she hadn't from their letters), she could look the same for all her cared. Well, he would prefer to look a little older, if only so no one would think badly of them.

He wondered if Himi remembered his promise… today was her eighteenth birthday, and all that time ago he had promised he would be there to attend it. He recalled her saying something about her father, Susa, wanting her to get married on her eighteenth birthday. He gulped, and hoped that wasn't true. Perhaps she was indeed… betrothed, but it was possible neither were the case.

It probably would have made sense to ask her that before showing up at Yamata, but Eoleo had always held a certain rashness that stuck with him no matter how hard he tried to use logic or reason. He had wanted to surprise her, and as such hadn't mentioned his visit in their letters.

But, to be truth, he didn't know what the hell what this visit was: he knew what he wanted it to be. He wanted it to be telling a Himi who was now of a mature age that his feeling for her were much greater than that of friendship, or some kind of a pseudo-parental nature. But, of course, he would be happy just seeing her again, getting to spend some time with her. He would take it as it came… he had never been able to determine exactly how she saw him.

It had been so confusing and conflicting, when he had spent those long four months of his life with her on that journey. She had been so young, but so wise, so beautiful, but so young, so serious, but so innocent and lighthearted. Everything about her had been a contradiction, and as a pirate who had saved the world, Eoleo could atone to knowing what being a walking-contradiction was like.

He smiled as he recalled the first time they had introduced themselves with each other, and truly spoken. It had been a day much like this one, slightly foggy and windy…

_He wrinkled his nose as he stared at her; she seemed so frail, so delicate, so young. And even though Matthew had been extraordinary clear that her welfare was directly on his shoulders, Eoleo couldn't help but disagree. It was his ship, and he did not want to see anyone else dead upon it. For this reason, he disliked the fact that she was on board. If something happened to her… well, he would blame himself. The last thing he needed was having to worry over a young teenage girl. _

_ A stray breeze lifted off the sea's surface and onto the ship, throwing her pigtails backwards. He smiled; they were quite cute. She was quite cute, rather. Her face was very soft and innocent, but laden with the gravity of old-age nonetheless. Her ruby eyes were piercing, but glimmered with serenity. Somehow, her entire body seemed to hold some kind of mysterious and foreign majesty. Dreamily, he reached out his hand, becoming lost in watching her hair and her dress flutter._

_ "…Eoleo, are you alright?" Karis's words came crashing down upon him, knocking him back to reality._

_ "Er, yes, fine," Eoleo replied somewhat shakily, rubbing the back of his head. Karis raised an eyebrow, and looked in the direction he had been staring. _

_ When her eyes landed on Himi, she raised the other eyebrow as well. "Why were you reaching your hand out to Himi?' Karis asked pointedly, and Eoleo sighed. While it wasn't anywhere near the level that Amiti harbored, Karis clearly had intense dislike, or at least distrust, of him. One would think that giving up your ship to the cause, or fighting valiantly might be a valid way of proving one's self, but Eoleo still felt very clearly judged whenever she or Amiti was in the same room as him. _

_ "I was just daydreaming. She… kind of looked like Venus," Eoleo finished lamely, expecting another hard question or scolding. _

_ Instead, Karis giggled. "So, you like her then?" The Jupiter Adept asked, absentmindedly manipulating the wind in front of her with a twirl of her hand._

_ "Hmmm? Like her?" Eoleo responded, wondering what on earth Karis was talking about._

_ "You know," She replied, having formed a small ball of air in her hands and spinning it on her finger tips. "You're fond of her; it's kind of cute, really. I could tell from the moment you first looked at her. You started acting more proper, standing up straight… I think I even caught you trying to pat down your hair a bit."_

_ "…Karis, I know you aren't fond of me, but accusing me of being romantically interested in a… hell, I don't even know how old she is, er, young teenage girl is quite low," Eoleo said in return, crossing his arms._

_ Karis's mouth opened slightly in surprise and confusion, before her brow narrowed and she sent the ball of wind smashing into Eoleo's face. "You idiot! That's not what I meant!" She retorted angrily with a frown. "I just meant that you like her, in a friendly sort of way. I overheard you and Matthew talking, and it seemed to me like you consider everyone on this ship to be under your protection."_

_ "Aye, that is how the conversation went," Eoleo replied uneasily, still suspecting he was going to get a tongue lashing or angry look in the near future._

_ "Well, then, you recognize that she is a little young and weak, and so you are interested in protecting her. That's very noble," Karis said, turning to look at the young Venus Adept. "She's fourteen and two months, by the way. I asked. If you're so interested in her, you should talk to her."_

_ Eoleo raised another eyebrow, and spoke slowly, as he tended to do whenever addressing a volatile topic. "Karis, why are you being so amiable? You and Amiti have been trying to glare me into dust the last month. It's not that I mind the change, but I'm finding it hard to discern a reason for it is all."_

_ Karis bit her lip, and shrugged. "Well, I actually feel a little bad about how unfriendly we've been toward you. I will admit I wasn't completely sold on you, Eoleo, but after hearing you talk with Matthew, I felt bad. I never really gave you a chance. I talked it over with Amiti as well; we're going to try to be less… condescending."_

_ Eoleo grinned heartily, and gave Karis a good thumping back pat. "Argh, glad to hear it!" He shouted as she coughed from the force of his friendly gesture. "I was getting a bit worn of being looked at so harshly, to tell the truth. One more thing, though; why are you so interested in how I feel for Himi?"_

_ Karis, after coughing once more, shrugged, and replied, "Well, I've kind of realized that you haven't really found a member of the group to bond with yet. I mean, Amiti and Rief are close, I'm close to both Tyrell (Eoleo noted her voice rise a little as she said the other Mars Adept's name) and Matthew, Matthew and Sveta are very (she smiled) close, and while we all are, I'd like to think, friendly amongst each other, you seem to be… more distant. I thought it would be nice if you decided to bond with someone on board." _

_ "Er… I guess… I mean…" Eoleo said awkwardly, before receiving a hard shove in the back._

_ "Great! Then go talk to Himi! She seems to be a little distant herself, and you can make her feel more welcome!" Karis encouraged, giving him another light shove, and Eoleo sighed and indeed began to walk in that direction. _

_ He halted when he was beside her, but remained silent, the only sound among them the light howl of the wind. After an awkward minute of continually scanning the sea (which he never really got tired of, but preferred to do when the weather wasn't so foggy) he shifted his eyes slowly toward the girl beside him. _

_ To his surprise, he saw two distinct lines of moisture running from her eyes down her face. He bit his lip; if the poor thing was crying, she may want to be left alone. But, perhaps she would prefer to talk about it as well. "Are you okay?" He tried hesitantly. _

_ Himi, having ignored his presence previously, showed no sign that she had heard him speak, until several moments later a tiny whisper that was nearly swallowed by the wind sounded. "I'm only crying because of the wind." It held a certain defiance to it, and also seemed to function as a warning: she didn't want to talk to him._

_ Still, for some reason, he decided to push forward, and replied, "I've used that excuse before." She turned to him then, the wind pushing her hair slightly in her face, but not enough to hide her expression. It was cold and hard, despite the tears continuing to pour down her cheeks, but held at least some minor interest. As she remained silent, he continued._

_ "When I was young, and my father would leave me at the shore when he went on a voyage, I would always cry. But I lied through my teeth, telling everyone around me that it was just the wind. They knew I was lying, but never said anything, even though I wanted them to. I secretly craved someone's understanding, but was too proud, even at that age, to admit it. Not saying that your reasons have anything to do with pride. But, if you do want someone to talk to, I'm here."_

_ Eoleo finished quietly, turning his attention back towards the sea, his mind lost once more with thoughts of his father. He didn't even try to stop the stream of tears that soon followed, and hoped that Himi did not see them. At times like this, as foolish as it sounded, all he really had left was his pride._

_ "I must be strong," Himi said suddenly, drawing him away from images of his father's wounded and mangled body bleeding out on this very ship. She turned, and glanced up at him; he returned the favor by glancing down, though it was at quite a harsh angle. Her eyebrows rose suddenly, no doubt at viewing his tears, but she held her tongue on the subject._

_ "I must be strong for Yamata, for my people, and for all of Weyard. I know what this Third Eye represents; it is a burden, and I must be strong in carrying it. But here I am, showing weakness in my tears. My father, mother, and the Gods would be ashamed."_

_ "There is no weakness in tears," Eoleo replied firmly, his mind drawn back to the night of the Eclipse once more. "I watched my father die, and when I did I cried. At first, I was embarrassed: I had never seen him cry, and knew how much he valued strength and honor. I thought I was breaking both right in front of him. But, as I looked down, there were tears in his eyes as well. We didn't need to speak; he let me know, that night, that crying shows no weakness. It only shows you have something worth fighting for."_

_ Himi remained silent for a few moments, mulling over what he had said, and then began to make complex motions with her staff, twirling it and seemingly carving letters into the air. After a few moments of this, she took it and stabbed it firmly onto the ground. "I am sorry for your father's fate," She whispered, raising her hands in prayer. "That was a Yamatain blessing for those deceased. I know many of them; when I am older, I will take my good mother's place as Yamata's priestess."_

_ "I'm sure you will make her proud then, as well as now," Eoleo said, putting patting her gently on the back. Even while trying to pat softly, his hands were about three times the size of her shoulders, and she bounced forward a bit. _

_ "I am more worried for now," Himi replied. "This Third Eye hums of ballads of victory and mutters of nocturnes of despair. I have not yet seen the black death that sweeps all of Angara, and I am afraid to do so. Afraid to fight creatures of evil. Afraid to fail. Afraid to know that the world is in my hands. Afraid to… afraid to d… to die…" _

_ Her face wrought of stone cracked, and the tears truly began to flow, the previously hard and determined countenance now vulnerable and full of complex emotion. Eoleo kneeled down and pulled her in close, embracing her and giving her a shoulder to cry on. _

_ She sobbed for a minute, and in that minute he remained silent, stroking her jet black hair with one rough hand, and patting her back with the other. After a while, Eoleo whispered, "You are on my ship. Once I let someone on my ship, I see to it that they stay alive. I promise you, Himi, that we will conquer the Eclipse, and that you will survive. For my father's sake, and for your peoples'." He felt something small knock onto his chest, and assumed it was her nodding._

_ After another minute, she pulled away, her eyes somewhat drier. "Please, Eoleo," Himi whispered, wiping the last of her tears away as he stood up. "Would you tell me about your father?" Eoleo smiled and nodded, and they both sat down on the deck as he began to tell of Briggs._

_ He had no shortage of stories to tell of his father and his numerous heroic (and not-so-heroic) exploits. He started off with the classic story of Briggs meeting Felix and his party, and how Briggs had single handedly saved Chama from starvation and famine. Himi clearly had some objections to Brigg's piracy based off her constant frown, but lightened up when Eoleo relayed that Briggs had indeed repaid every nation he had stolen from in the end._

_ She began to lighten up more when Eoleo told her stories of Briggs more humorous moments, such as accidently dying all of his crew's clothing pink, or mistaking an alligator for a younger Eoleo while incredibly intoxicated, or (Eoleo's particular favorite), when Briggs and Chaucha had been engaged in a romantic moonlit dinner on a remote cliff-side, only for a mudslide to occur causing Briggs to think on his feet and ride their table down as a make-shift sled. Chaucha had called it the best date Briggs had ever taken her on._

_ Eoleo had told these stories numerous times, always eager to speak of his father, so he was a master of them by this point, and it showed. After her initial hesitancy, Himi became very clearly engaged, laughing, smiling, sighing, and frowning at all the right times. They stayed that way for a good hour, at which point Eoleo indicated that he was about done with storytelling. He had to preserve some material, after all._

_ Himi smiled as he finished, and said, "Your father sounds like he was a very interesting man. I would have liked to meet him." _

_ Eoleo nodded, and replied, "He was a great man. A little bizarre at times, and at others certainly not the model-fit for a hero, but when it came down to it he did what was necessary for his nation, his family, and what he believed was right. I'll always be proud to call him my father." Himi nodded, her mind shifting to thoughts of her own parents. On cue, Eoleo asked, "What of your life, Himi?" _

_ Himi smiled, but it seemed to hold melancholy to it. "My life has been… the exact opposite of yours, I'm afraid. For the first ten years of my life, I was very sheltered because I was so frail. I was born prematurely, and barely survived. My body was simply weak; my parents prayed, and prayed, and prayed, but it was only when a mysterious man appeared to them and blessed me with holy water far from the North that I was truly healed. The last four years I have grown to be more independent and free, but my parents were still very wary of letting me… live. I understood their concerns, so I held my tongue. But I always wanted to leave Yamata, or at least have more freedom. Still… I can't help but hate how it had to come to pass. My poor honorable mother and father have to send me away barely a year after my brother Takeru left as well. They must be so fearful, and so worried."_

_ Eoleo nodded, understanding that feeling. He replied, "Aye. My mother be the same; she always hated Briggs for how often he was forced to travel the high seas, and only grew more bitter when I began to as well. I was worried she had heard of my capture, as that would worry her to no end, but now with his death… I just hope she hasn't heard of it yet. If anything, I or one of my fellow Champa should be the one to tell her." Himi nodded, imagining how she would feel if a stranger brought a rumor to them of Takeru's death. _

_ "Himi," Eoleo continued, wrapping his arm warmly around her. "You spoke of how your life has been dull; I promise you, that in this journey and perhaps another, I will show you the world and let you experience its wonders." _

_ "Thank you, Eoleo," Himi replied, a warm smile spread across her tiny face. "That would mean a lot to me." She leaned her head onto his arm (she didn't quite reach his shoulder), and they stared out onto the open sea; while they had shared stories, the weather had cleared, with the fog dissipating and the sun beginning to shine through the clouds. The breeze was still intact, but now the salty air running across their faces was more pleasant than aggravating, and it certainly wasn't causing any tears._

_ They would stay that way for some time, until the sun would fall behind the line of the ocean, and lady Moon gazed down upon them from high up in the sky. _

"CAPTAIN EOLEO!" Came a shout, breaking Eoleo out of his thoughts. He turned to see a panting member of his crew, Doldric, the helmsman. "The, the party we sent forth, they've been captured!"

Eoleo sighed; he had feared this. "Should, should we—" Doldric continued, before being silence by Eoleo raising his hand.

"I was afraid this might occur: have no fear, I will settle this matter myself," Eoleo said commandingly, making his way to the door.

"Er… Captain? Yer axe?" The helmsman suggested, and Eoleo turned to look at his bladed beauty.

"Sigh, no, I will not take a weapon with me," Eoleo replied, none too pleased about the situation. "Well, at least not one they can see." With a wink, he briefly glowed red with the power of Mars, before walking out of his quarters headfast into both love and war.

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><p><em>Okay, so, one down. I kind of hate myself at this point: I clearly can't keep up two multi-chapter fics, so what do I do? Start two more. I mean, I have more than that started, but at least I had the sense not to post them. Unlike now. I like to have stuff built up, but I also am a fan of the "when it's done it's done it's done" policy, meaning you put out whenever you finish. Which is the case here.<em>

_So, not creepy? Cute, kind of? This ship is also interesting because it features the two most criminally under-developed characters in the game. Which is sad, because as I write them, I realize Himi and Eoleo both have a lot of interesting aspects to explore and play with. It's sad. Very sad._

_The basis behind this was Himi and Eoleo can be very easily made as a kind of non-parental guardian kind of deal, but in this case I wanted to push that further and see if it would, well, go farther. It's kind of multi-faceted cuteness: in the flashbacks (there are a lot of them in this fic, BTW; it's kind of a parallel fic between them now and them on the quest), they are more of that pseudo-parent relationship, with hints of things to come, and them dealing with those feelings, while in the present it's kind of reversed._

_I appreciate anyone who gives this fic a chance despite the obvious potential controversial nature to it. Next chapter should be more Himi focused in real time, and then a sharing of them in the past once again._

_Next on my list is a More Than Just a Third Eye update and then A Gentler Steam. From here on out I am going to be aiming for a two updates per week, or at the worst one. Three? I'll shoot for it. I hate having any fic I'm NOT able to update weekly, but I've moronically put myself in that position. So, my goal is for none of these four fics to go more than two weeks without an update here on out. Let's see how that goes, heh._

_Thanks for reading, expect the next chapter within two weeks!_


	2. The Princess of Yamata

_Did all of this today (Wednesday). Angry about that; I need to get on top of things. It's still posted, but gah. So exhausted. This will really free up tomorrow though, which is great. More ranting later._

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><p>Chapter 2: The Princess of Yamata<p>

Himi sat perfectly still as her attendant, Shari, laced her hair into the elaborate pony-tail she had donned the past month; donned quite unhappily, she might add. It's not that she wasn't used to sitting still for hours and hours and _hours_ on end, as it was sadly a large aspect of royalty.

It was one of those things about being of noble descent that no one ever mentioned; you get to eat lush and exotic meals (and while eating them you must, once again, stay nearly perfectly still, and follow a serious of ridiculous rules and "pleasantries"). You are dressed in the finest and most illustrious garments (that take much too long to put on, and that have to be put on FOR you). You are viewed by all your people with love and grave (because they have no idea who you actually are, and only see you at your absolute best).

She sighed, and attempted to quell her resentful thoughts. She was blessed to live the life she did; her parents were both kind and compassionate, her brother was polite and benevolent, and she lived peacefully and without fear of starvation or lack of shelter. Many prayed to be in her position. And yet…

"I want to give it all away, Shari," Himi whispered, causing her attendant to sigh, and release Himi's half formed ponytail. Himi frowned, saddened that she had to so often trouble her faithful attendant with her problems. Well, it was mostly this problem and one or two others, but that only made it more difficult for Shari; she had no real way to help her charge.

Himi knew that Shari would help if she could, as her thirty-two year old attendant was one of the sweetest and most understanding people she had ever met. And the Venus Adept often lamented that often enough she would simply dwell of her issues, while Shari must have some of her own. Of course, whenever Himi tried to bring up Shari's life, the kindly attendant would quickly say that she was getting paid to listen to and to help the princess, and not the other way around.

"Himi… I know that this life is not what you desire, but think of it this way; you are eighteen today!" Shari said, putting a comforting hand on her princess's shoulder. "You are now a woman, and are blessed with the freedom adulthood brings!"

"I wish it were that simple," Himi whispered, causing Shari to sigh. "But you know it is not; I'm sorry, I always put you in this uncomfortable position of listening to me whine without any way of helping my situation. It's cruel of me…"

"No, it is certainly not," Shari said firmly, beginning to construct the ponytail once more. It was quite a long process, as it involved stringing Himi's thick and lustrous black hair through a golden brace. "This is what I am for; you should tell me whatever you feel, and I will do my best to help you through it, alright?" Shari leaned over her shoulder and their eyes met.

Himi smiled at her, and nodded, albeit very lightly, as to not wreck the ponytail. "The reason it is not so simple," She continued as Shari went back to the ponytail. "Is because I am still royalty, and that can never really change, I fear. I fear that mightily. And… even though I am now a woman, my father wishes me to give him my decision as to my husband today…"

"Ah… right," Shari said, knowing the conversation would eventually come to this. "That is why you are going on a date with Kati today, correct?"

Himi sighed, and it held so much melancholy that Shari couldn't help but feel slight anger at Susa's ultimatum; it was clear that Himi was not fond of any of the young men populating Yamata, for whatever reason. "Is it his age, Himi?" Shari questioned. Kati was twenty five, after all, and while he was _quite_ a nice young man (who, in her solemn opinion, any woman would be lucky to catch the eye of), Himi's wariness could very well be because of the age gap.

To Shari's surprise, Himi giggled, and replied, "No, that's not it at all. I have no issue at age really, as—" Himi halted her speech, and coughed. "Never mind that… anyway, he's a fine young man, and I don't want to spend my life with him when I know I cannot provide for him emotionally, as I do not love him. Maybe someone else could catch his eye. You two would make a cute couple, Shari."

"W-What!" Shari exclaimed, completely losing her grip on the brace, causing it to fall off. "Oh… crap. Well, there goes twenty minutes down the drain."

"Leave it," Himi said dryly, lifting herself off of the chair.

Shari blinked in surprise. "L-Leave it? But, Princess, your father said…"

"I'm eighteen, old enough to make my own decision, and tired of wasting time putting my hair into these ridiculous ponytails," Himi said with a yawn, walking over to the dresser, which held a mirror Shari had been using to examine Himi's face and stray hairs as she worked. "Actually, I'd like to cut it off, to be honest; a nice short cut. Karis cut her hair like that." Himi felt her spirits rise as she thought of her old friend.

"Oh, Gods, I can only imagine what his face would look like…" Shari sighed, picturing Susa as angry as she had ever seen him. Which was very, very angry. "He'll probably be dismayed to see you without the brace or ponytail, but it's your birthday. He should understand."

"Shari?" Himi asked, turning toward her attendant and then smiling. "Ah! It's so refreshing to look into your eyes as we converse, rather than stare at you staring at my hair. But, I was wondering… why did you stutter so badly a few moments ago? When I suggested that you and Kati would be cute as a pair?"

"O-Oh, that, well…" Shari stuttered, mentally cursing her charge's curiosity. "Well… he is a nice young man. But too young for me, and he is your first choice, after all."

"Age! Pff!" Himi spat, turning abruptly and glaring into the mirror. As angry as she was, she couldn't help but enjoy the sight of her normally constricted hair flowing freely; it was quite long, and as such letting it down was somewhat ill-advised, but she still preferred it to anything involving the brace.

"Oh! So you do have a favorite in the village, but he's too young for you?" Shari asked, glad to divert the topic back to Himi's love-life rather than hers, where it belonged.

"…Not exactly," Himi said slowly, having already said more than intended. "Not someone from the village, and someone who was my elder, actually."

"Ahhh! Someone you met on your journey? What were they like? Have you kept in contact? You should tell your father!" Shari exclaimed, quite joyously; she cared deeply for the young woman, and was saddened that her future seemed to be fated to contain a marriage she did not approve of.

"Yes… I met him on my journey," Himi whispered. "But it couldn't work; then or now."

"Then, maybe, Himi," Shari said, patting her on the back. "But you're a woman now; there's no reason romance could blossom if you met again."

Himi shook her head, and replied, "I never told him how I felt, and he surely is married by now." That was a lie, and she knew it; as far as she was concerned, Eoleo was unmarried, or had never told her. She knew it must be the prior, as they were never exactly secretive in their letters.

"Wait…" Shari muttered, and after a few moments of silence she snapped her fingers. "This must be the young man you exchange letters with! Aha! That's so adorable… to still be in contact, after all these years."

Himi winced; she had gone to great lengths keeping her letters secret, and while she loved Shari, her attendant had the tendency to speak without thinking; that is, Himi was worried she might let word of her letters slip out to her father. Who would then demand to see them.

"Please, do not tell anyone, Shari," Himi pleaded. "You know that father would wish to view them, and they are incredibly private."

"Of course, of course, I'm YOUR attendant, and he hires me to do what's best for you, after all," Shari replied cheerfully. "But that's so sweet… ah, young love."

"Older love is just as cute, as with you and Kati," Himi teased, trying to change the subject. It worked, as Shari quickly began to cough and sputter out denials. "Perhaps I will try to encourage him to pursue you on our… "date" today."

"Himi… you wouldn't… please, I'm too old," Shari said lowly, causing Himi to shake her head.

"So it's okay for me to be in love with someone older than I, but now you? That's ridiculous," Himi said firmly, causing Shari to shrug.

"It's not an official rule, just a tradition; and you and I both know how much your father values traditions."

Himi's brow narrowed, and she replied, "Yes, I do. I've actually been wondering; why exactly is father so obsessed with tradition?"

"I was wondering when you would ask me that," Shari said with a smile, setting herself down on the bed in the room. Himi joined her, and once she did Shari continued. "You see, as you know, when your father was a child, he was an incredibly reckless and rash buffoon. Kushinada was dear to him, but that didn't stop him from acting like a right idiot."

Himi giggled; her father was so strict and solemn, it was always amusing to imagine him as very juvenile and immature.

"So…" Shari continued with a smile at Himi's reaction, "One day his stupidity overcame him; few know of this story, and he knows I'm one of those who do, so please don't tell him I told you this! One day, he entered Mt. Mikage's sacred base… and woke the Serpent."

Himi gasped, and replied, "But I thought the earthquake that day was what woke the Serpent!"

Shari shook her head, and said, "Yes, it most likely was, but Susa blamed himself. While the earthquake disturbed it, he, being the foolish boy he was, mistook it for a staircase, and ran all over its back. Which, unsurprisingly, disturbed it more. Some contended that it would have awakened regardless, but Susa disagreed. You know the rest of the story from there, I'm sure." Himi nodded, having heard the tale of her father's bravery and Felix's party many nights. "However, Susa was beyond distraught; in his mind, the entire thing was his doing, and he believed that if he had honored the traditions more carefully, none of that business would have occurred."

"Oh my… poor father, he believed he put mother's life at risk didn't he?" Himi asked, and Shari nodded.

"He still does! And since then, he has become incredibly ardent when it comes to tradition; emphatically so. And, let's face it, Susa is quite an angry man when provoked or if you say the wrong thing in his presence, so no one has really managed to change his mind; not even Lady Kushinada."

"So THAT'S why I have to choose my husband by today?" Himi asked, slightly annoyed; she couldn't believe her father was being so foolish. Surely he should be wise enough to know that not all traditions are worthwhile, and must change overtime.

"Yes… I'm afraid so. Maybe you could talk some sense into him! You always seem to be able to convince him of that which no one else can!" Shari said with enthusiasm, but Himi frowned.

"Not in the case of my marriage, and that is laced in tradition; I fear I have no choice or hope," She whispered sullenly.

Shari frowned, and stroked Himi's cheek. "There there… I know you can convince him if you try. Do you fear this wedding that much?"

"I…" Himi began, and then let out a long sigh. "I'm just tired of all of THIS!" She waved her arms around the room, and Shari's brow widened; it was rare for Himi to raise her voice. "That quest… it was so wonderful, because I was free. I'm not a frail girl anymore!"

"I… I know that Himi, look how you've grown!" Shari broke in, trying to soothe her. She wasn't sure what to do, as she had never needed to calm Himi down before. "You've filled out so nicely in four short years."

Himi bit her tongue, and thought over that statement. It was true; she was now much more feminine than she had been, and… quite beautiful, if those around her were to be believed. She had grown a good foot, nearly reaching her father's height, and her hips had grown outward as was natural. She wondered what Eoleo would think of her now… Eoleo…

"But that's just it!" Himi shouted once more, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I'm a woman, and even when I WAS a frail girl, I sailed across the ocean, fought against monstrosities, and hiked for days on end. I miss it. That freedom. I deserve it, I am strong, and I am knowledgeable. I want to see the world again, to live without the constraints of royalty, but how can I? It would only lead father to hate or disavow me…"

"Himi…" Shari whispered, realizing that the outburst she had witnessed had been building for quite some time.

"Is there any news of when mother will return? She promised to be home before my birthday celebration, and before my decision…" Himi asked, changing the topic abruptly.

"…I'll go see, she may have sent a letter." Shari said slowly, then reached out and threw her arms around her charge. "It's alright Himi… I promise, things will work out. If need be, I'll talk to Susa; trust me."

Himi smiled sadly, and returned the embrace. "Thank you, Shari… I am lucky to have you as my advisor, and friend."

Shari returned the smile, and nodded. "I shall be back shortly, and then we can converse for a bit more." With that, she turned, exiting Himi's room, leaving the Yamatain Princess alone with her thoughts.

She sighed, as her mind was drawn to her date later in the day, and her past. In particular, to a pirate named Eoleo.

Life was so unfair; she had decided that years ago. If she had just met him when she had been a few years older… but no, instead she had been fourteen. She had been completely unsure of her emotions, and had just been too young. She was very thankful she had been smart enough to not try anything (heavens forbid) and put him in such an awkward position.

He had probably felt awkward enough as it were; she had been quite fickle if she recalled correctly, and almost teasing in some respects. She regretted that, all of it. If only she could meet him now, and show him that she had grown; still, she never had discerned his feelings for her. She knew he had been fond of her, but it was probably only amiable, not in the way she imagined… but she had held out hope.

That on her eighteenth birthday, he would come sailing into port with that wild "give-em-hell" smile plastered on his face, and sweep her off her feet. But… based on his letters, he hadn't even remembered it.

It was probably for the best, after all, she thought with a sniffle. There was no way she could be with him; her father would never have it, and even if he, by some miracle, would allow her to betroth a pirate, Eoleo simply wasn't here, and today was the day she must choose her husband.

Bitterness threatened to overtake her, but instead she felt her heart warm, as memories of her journey came to her mind.

* * *

><p><em>Himi had thought that, when the nightmares and insomnia had begun, they would lessen very quickly, especially after consulting Rief about the matter. That had been about a month ago, when she had first joined the party; but they had only gotten worse, and terribly so. Every night it took at least two hours of restless twisting and turning for her to find sleep, and that was if she indeed found it.<em>

_ She had stayed awake through the night more than once, and it was beginning to show. Most of the party members would glance at her worriedly, but she had realized she simply believed the issue was that she simply couldn't handle the physical toll of travel and battle. And both of those were draining, but they were not the issue._

_ No, the thing that kept her up at night was not her own two eyes, but the third, that hung on her forehead. It whispered to her, and at times would flash visions in her mind. Their accuracy, she could not determine; half of the time she could not make out what exactly what was happening, or would forget the contents as soon as the vision ended. But other times, they were crystal clear, and some were terrible, and some were simply confusing. Images of corpses strewn amuck, bleeding profusely; those of her family, the party, of all that she held dear. Yamata in flames, and then assaulted by the black death of the Grave Eclipse. _

_ Others were happy, but they were few and far between. If only she knew what they MEANT. Surely, they could not all be true; there was no future where was Matthew bloodied and dead on the ground along with being cheerful and married to Sveta. No, they had to be separate, and the possible outcomes of their journey._

_ Which scared her even more; what if she did fail, and they came true? She had considered speaking of them to the party, but decided against it being, simply fearful of their reactions, and unwilling to make their task seem doomed. So, she had held it inside, and had been getting less sleep seemingly night after night. _

_ It had started badly, but had accelerated massively when she had first stepped into the unholy shadow of the Eclipse. She had never felt so disgusting in her entire life, and the urge to vomit had wormed its way deep into her stomach. She made no mention of this, either; all her life, she had been cared for, and considered frail. She knew what destiny lied within her. She would be strong. _

_ With a groan, Himi rolled out of bed. If only she could SLEEP. "Maybe there are some sleep inducing herbs in the galley I could take…" She whispered to herself, and figuring it was better than simply laying down on her bed and staring straight up at the ceiling, made her way to the galley._

* * *

><p><em> Eoleo burped loudly; there were many reasons why he loved rum (and other alcohol), but belching very well could be his favorite aspect. Rum-induced gas was by far the most serene gas on the planet. "Both ways!" He chuckled as his lower cannon fired loudly, booming out a great fart. <em>

_ This was Eoleo's favorite time of night; sitting alone with a drink and acting like he was five. All the piracy, all the sailing, all the ridiculous accents were really just so he could have his thirty minutes of alone time when every other soul on Weyard was fast asleep. Not like he wouldn't mind company once in a while, though. _

_ "I wonder how Himi is sleeping…" Eoleo mused; he often thought of the most recent member of their party in his moments of solitude. He had taken Karis's advice, and had indeed bonded with the young Venus Adept. They often shared stories of their youth, and he had taken to describing the life of a sailor… er, pirate… to her in great detail. _

_ He had been worried for her of late, as he suspected she had dealt with struggles in regards to sleep. The others assumed it was fatigue from their journey, but he had noticed dark marks under her eyes, and a general haziness to her usually stout and observant demeanor. He hadn't brought it up to her yet, but if things persisted… he wasn't going to let her suffer while on his ship, that was for sure._

* * *

><p><em> Himi entered the galley with a yawn, glancing around for where herbs might be. She sighed as it struck her that Rief kept them with him at all times; meaning that they would not be in the kitchen, as she once thoughts. Perhaps there was some food in the galley that had sleep-inducing properties.<em>

_ She began to go through the cupboards, trying to be quiet as to not wake anyone on the ship or alert anyone who was roaming. After a few minutes, she came to a large jug (around the size of her body in width), that had one word written on it: RUM. _

_ Himi tilted her head, and considered the find. She knew about alcohol, and had heard that, in some cases, it could make you drowsy, or at least relieve your pain and worries, which sounded like what she needed. She also knew it was frowned upon for people younger than eighteen, at least in Yamata, to drink it. However, she figured that if she only had a small bit, no one would be the wiser. So, she tried to lift it, and completely underestimating its weight, quickly dropped it after she had pulled it out of the cupboard._

_ "…The hell?" Eoleo mused aloud, having heard the loud crash. He rose from the table and turned the corner to see a sight that confused him for more than a few seconds. He was quite sure he was hallucinating Himi trying to lift up a gigantic jug of rum, at least until she fell sideways while holding it, confirming in his mind that this was indeed real. After picking herself up, she finally noticed him, and thought it was dark, he could detect a blush on her face._

_ "O-Oh, Eoleo!" She squeaked, startled. Thinking on her sandals, she shifted her body in front of the jug of rum. Eoleo couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the sight, as it was wider than her, and stuck out from behind._

_ "…Er, Himi? What's with the rum?" Eoleo asked, trying to keep himself from laughter._

_ She sighed, hoping to avoid a situation like this. "I couldn't sleep, and was trying to find some way to induce it," She replied, stepping out of the way of the rum. "And Rief is asleep, so I didn't want to bother him for herbs."_

_ "Aye," Eoleo responded, walking up to her and patting her head. She smiled as he did so; it always felt so nice, when his calloused hands rubbed her scalp. It was sweet, making her heart warm, but also satisfying as it scratched her head. "But… you be just a small lass. Alcohol is a bit… beyond your years. Not to mention that you are quite small, and this is very, very potent stuff."_

_ "…Just a little, bit, Eol?" She asked, her red eyes flaring out and her lip puckering. He coughed, and adverted his eyes from her, as he had issues saying no to that face. And her using her nickname for him wasn't helping matters. _

_ "…Fine, just a tad. I'll ask Karis and Sveta to cast sleep on you tomorrow night, then," Eoleo replied, and she bit her lip. Ignoring it, he said, "But you must tell me WHY you haven't been sleeping before you can get said rum. Deal?" She sighed, and nodded._

_ Lifting up the jug with one hand, and winking to Himi as he did so, he walked to a table in the other half of the galley and set it down. Himi followed, and pulled up on the opposing bench as he sat down. _

_ "…Do I have to?" She whispered, and he nodded. "Eoleo… it's really… I don't want to." She frowned and stared at her lap._

_ "Himi, I want to help," He said slowly and kindly, causing her to raise her head and stare into his eyes. "I can't do that if I don't know what's wrong."_

_ "It's my burden to bear," She muttered, none too pleased with the situation. "I must not appear weak."_

_ "Beliefs like that are what killed my father," Eoleo muttered under his breath, but she heard him, and frowned. "Sharing your hardships with the people who care for you, especially when they want to hear them, is anything but weak; it shows you appreciate your friends and loved ones. So, what's wrong?"_

_ She smiled, and replied, "I feel like you are both, Eoleo; a friend and a love one." He kept the blush off his face (not the first time he had thanked his tan skin), and she continued. "The Third Eye has kept me awake; I see visions… terrifying visions…" She shook visibly and winced, causing Eoleo's face to grow quite concerned. "Some are good, but most are horrifying…"_

_ "What are they of, Himi?" He asked calmly, reaching out across the table with his outstretched hand, which she took._

_ "…Of our party, and my family, dead. Of my home burned. Of the Eclipse's menace," She whispered darkly. "Oh, Eoleo, ever since I stepped foot in it, I have been filled with dread so great…" She seemed to wither before his very eyes, and he bit his lip; seeing her like this, in so much anguish… it was more than unsettling. _

_ "And I know," She continued in a hoarse, soft voice, "That I will be at the forefront of the battle deciding whether the world is bathed in light once more, or swallowed by darkness. I fear I am just what my father and mother saw me as; a weak and frail girl, who can't hope to stand up against the forces we face."_

_ There was silence as a few stray tears fell from her eyes, before Eoleo's voice pierced the air: "That's bullshit." She blinked, and stared at him, wide eyed; he had agreed to swear lightly around her, as she was not a fan of curses. So, if he was, that must mean he truly meant what he was saying._

_ "Do you know what you can do!" Eoleo shouted, suddenly leaping up and pointing at her. "You can summon a freaking dragon! That spits out rocks at people! Do you know what Psynergy I knew at your age?" Himi shook her head, still slightly in shock from his outburst. "THIS!" He held out his hand, and a few sparks flew out of it. _

_ "E-Eoleo… I'm, I'm still—"_

_ "Ten times smarter and more mature than I was!" Eoleo shouted, interrupting her. "Much more kind, much more caring, much more… everything! Do you know why that eye chose you?" He asked pointedly, and she shook her head. "Because it KNEW that you were the only person that could do what was necessary, and help save this world."_

_ "I…" Himi whispered, blushing from his praise. "I don't know if I am."_

_ "Well I do," He replied, sitting back down and squeezing her hand once more. "And if you need help believing, them I'm more than willing to give it to you. Remember the promises I made you?" She nodded, a faint smile starting to form on her face, and he returned it. "I meant them. Nothing in Weyard is going to stop us from destroying this foul Eclipse, and we're going to be side-by-side when it happens. Got it?"_

_ She nodded, her grin now wide, and he reached forward and ruffled her hair. "You're a great man, Eoleo," She said, as he poured her a small pint of rum. "I'm glad I was blessed with meeting you; now I know that pirates can be good people as well. And more than that… well… you're probably the best friend I ever had."_

_ Eoleo did his best to take the comment in stride, but he couldn't help but sniffle. "That means a lot to me, Himi. Truth be told, I never had many friends growing up either; I was the son of the chief pirate, so they were wary of me. The ones I did have were real knuckleheads, and less like friends and more like idiots I pulled pranks with. But you… you're not like that. You're so much different than that…" He took a swig of rum, and she followed his lead. As he had expected, she coughed heavily after just a sip, and her mouth frowned at the bitter taste. He awarded her a few moments to let the rum go down, and then they continued to drink, until her pint and his much larger glass were both emptied. The entire time, he could see on her face that she was trying to think of a reply to his statement, and that she was also growing sleepy. _

_ "Thank you – Ahhhh! – Eoleo," Himi replied, yawning in the middle of speaking as she placed her pint on the table. "I'm glad… that I'm… important to you, too. In fact… I think I like you… as more than just a friend, and more like a…" With a final yawn, Himi laid her head down on the table, and drifted to a much deserved sleep._

_ Eoleo, meanwhile, simply stared at her. "Uh… like a what?" He whispered, expecting no answer. A few ideas crossed his mind, and he gulped. Surely she didn't mean… know, she was only fourteen, and he was thirty two. She must have meant… like a… "Argggggh," He bellowed, and sighed. Perhaps, she had just been speaking in her sleepy state, and had known not what she was saying._

_ Still mulling it over in his mind, he stood up, delicately picked up Himi, and carried her to her room, softly lying her down in her bed and drawing the covers up gently. With one last glance at her smiling face, he gave her one of the head rubs she so enjoyed, which seemed to draw her smile out just a smidge more. _

_ With a smile on his own, Eoleo walked off to his own room, convinced that fate had been kind enough to give him the chance to meet such a interesting girl, and that giving alcohol to minors could work out just fine if done right._

* * *

><p>Himi sighed as she snapped back to reality; she had always wondered what the last few words she had said were, as she had been so sleepy they had always escaped her memory. At the least, after that night her nightmares had almost completely ceased. And she had never touched alcohol since, a fact that she was quite proud of.<p>

"My, talk about getting our hopes up," Came Shari's voice as she opened the door and walked into the room.

"Hmmm? What is going on?" Himi questioned.

"Well, a ship just docked… but it is not Lady Kushinada's!" Shari exclaimed, shaking her head. "Such rotten luck."

"…Shari, what was the ship like?" Himi asked pointedly, her hopes flaring for a brief moment that it might be—

"A ship with odd, red sails, from what I heard," Shari replied, and Himi's shoulders sunk. So, it was most likely not Eoleo… unless he had changed ships, but she doubted that. He had been so fond of the old one, as it had been his fathers. "Anyway, my lady, you must get going — it's almost time for your date! We can find out who the ship belongs to later, first you must deal with your prior commitments."

Himi sighed, and Shari patted her on the back. "Do not worry! I will speak with your father…we'll make him understand. But for now, it should be nice to get out for a walk and blow some steam off. Here, I will escort you."

Himi smiled weakly and nodded, and followed Shari out of the room, not very thrilled about the way the day was going. However, as she turned to shut the door, she sent a glare at the golden hair brace lying on the floor, and then smiled triumphantly as she slammed the door closed. At the very least, she was going to get to enjoy her birthday with her hair down.

Bleh. Worked on this for about six hours today, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen with the schedule. Got it posted on time, but still. Bleh. Plenty of time to write this weekend though, so some good updates should be coming.

* * *

><p><em>Umm… I'm kind of ambivalent toward this chapter, in a few ways. I really like writing Himi; she can have a cool character when done right, and she's certainly very open for character exploration. How is the bondingconnecting between her and Eoleo going? Well, not well?_

_I feel bad making Susa the "father with a teenage daughter and a shotgun" as it were, but he's kind of just being defensive in this fic. Takeru is going to show up in here at some point, as is a very special surprise character! I can't wait to write the scene they appear in._

_I'm worried that some of my rush to finish this affected its quality; if anyone think that's the case, let me know. Also, I'm trying to cut down on my semi-colons, as they're getting ridiculous, so if anyone notices too many or them used incorrectly I'd appreciate criticism there._

_See, though! It's not that creep! It's kind of sweet… they waited for each other 3. I think it's sweet, anyway. This chapter had some obvious discussion about the Third Eye and how it affects Himi, but after this it's not too prominent._

_Uhhh… I'm starting to hallucinate white rabbits (it happens when I'm tired) so I'm going to leave off here as much as I want to rant till the end of time. Expect the next chapter in about two weeks; maybe less, maybe more, we'll see how the wind blows. Thanks for reading!_

_Edit: Based on the reviews, I realized I had screwed up Kati's name and put it as Taki... so, I fixed that. Also worth mentioning based on said review (and I'll put this in the next chapter too), the flashbacks are supposed to be flashbacks in general, not from one of the character's perspectives. Finally, I added a small bit to the end of the flashback because I realized I had a fourteen year old who had never drunken before down a pint of rum like a champ . . Which obviously doesn't make any sense, so I fleshed that out a bit more.  
><em>


	3. Quite the Charmer

_My chapter titles are getting worse and worse. You never appreciate how difficult they are to make until you suddenly have to create a plethora of them. I mean, just look at the ultimate chapter of Harry Potter, Book 7: The Flaw in the Plan. REALLY? THAT'S WHAT SHE CAME UP WITH? It's hard to make them witty and true to the chapter's content._

_I'll stop ranting about chapter titles, and say one thing of importance; for the flashbacks, they are not supposed to be from one of the character's perspectives. They are still in the form of third person omniscient narrator, which is why when Himi thinks of a flashback you still get Eoleo's perspective. So, without further ado, here's the story :P_

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Quite the Charmer<p>

As Eoleo marched down the gangplank, he sighed. There was a very good chance that his arrival would not go well, as evident by his initial party being captured. In retrospect, NOT alerting Himi that he would be arriving was fairly moronic. Actually, he had a feeling she would call it very moronic.

At the least, though, he had his good luck charm. Eoleo smiled and brought his hand to the golden piece of metal hanging from a thin metal cord around his neck. It laid comfortably on his chest, and brought a certain sense of serenity to him. Himi had given it to him all those years ago, and he had not taken it off since she had placed it around his neck.

Not even to shower. Not even when he was in a dark place where he feared it might get lost. Not even when he would find a nice girl at a bar and take her back to the ship to rock the boat, and that was always embarrassing; for some reason, the ladies had no appreciation for pirates that sported necklaces. Mars forbid what they would have said if he had told them it was a good luck charm from a fourteen-year-old priestess in training.

At first he had believed the charm's blessing to be complete and utter hogwash, but he could not deny that it had seemed to increase his general fortunes mightily, and he could recall numerous scenarios where it seemed that his life was about to come to an end, only for some stroke of luck or amazing bit of quick thinking to save him. Hopefully it would serve him well today, he thought as he walked into the town's main square.

"…Real ghost town," Eoleo dryly observed, scanning the empty streets of Yamata. An eerie silence hung in the air, and he had a fairly overwhelming theory that he was being watched. He shrugged it off, and walked down the street, eyeing a few fruit stands. Stopping at one, he picked up an apple (knowing from basic trade information that Yamata had some of the world's most delicious apples) and tossed down enough gold pieces so that there was absolutely no way he had underpaid on the stand's counter.

He walked another foot, taking a bite out of the juicy fruit, and then came to a halt as suddenly four soldiers burst out of two houses on the street. Two pointed spears at him, while two held swords and shields. Only one of them showed a fair amount of resolve; the other three were decidedly shaking, one so much so that his sword and shield kept clanging together.

Eoleo regarded them with a blank face, and then took another bite out of his apple. The one soldier's clanging became so annoying that the stoic soldier out of the bunch (Eoleo could only imagine that he was the leader), whacked him in his back with the dull wooden end of his spear.

Eoleo couldn't help himself; the scene in front of him was too comical. "So, the cavalry has arrived," He said, expending a good deal of energy to keep himself from chuckling. He couldn't let this get out of hand.

"Quiet, pirate!" Shouted the leader, thrusting his spear warningly. Eoleo had half a mind to rip it out of his hands, but he refrained from doing so. Dealing with these dumbasses was going to be more trying than he had assumed. "We saw you take something from the stand; that apple. How dare you steal from the proud nation of Yamata!"

"I paid for it," Eoleo replied dryly, pointing to the gold pieces he had left on the stand's counter. The leader of the four narrowed his eyes, and turned his head to send an order to the still frightened soldier. He hesitated, thought better of it, and asked the soldier to the right of him something under his breath. The soldier nodded, and quickly entered a nearby house, returning after a moment with a middle-aged man who looked incredibly nervous.

Without saying a word, the middle-aged man walked by Eoleo very quickly, and swiped the gold coins off the counter. He retreated as such as well, and then quickly counted the pieces in his hands.

"H-He actually overpaid by double, sir," The man (who Eoleo assumed was the merchant who owned the stand) muttered. "U-Um… would you like half back?" The man, to Eoleo's surprise, held out his hand, with half of the coins Eoleo had given to him in his palm, shining in the sun.

Eoleo smiled, and reached out. The man flinched slightly as Eoleo's rough hands grazed his, and then his face lit up with shock as Eoleo wrapped his hand around the man's, closing it. "Keep the change; it was a delicious apple," Eoleo said, patting the merchant's hand as he spoke. The merchant stared at Eoleo for a few more seconds, a look of mixed emotions upon his face, before turning and entering the house he had come from without another word.

The leader of the party watched the man walk back, his eyes trailing him like a hawk. Indeed, that was a fit term to describe them, as Eoleo had rarely seen more precise and omniscient eyes. He felt no fear for the soldier in front of him however, only respect. The warriors of Yamata (save the boy who was quaking in his greaves) seemed to be quite fit and battle ready. Eoleo made a note to compliment Susa of this; if he ever made it to the king, that was.

"So… I apologize for that," The leader said gravely, dipping his head ever so slightly. "But we must know: are you the pirate Eoleo?"

"Yes, son of Briggs," Eoleo responded quickly and clearly, very happy to finally be getting somewhere.

"…You are wanted for many acts of piracy. Based on our foreign ties, upon positive identification we must execute you on sight," The soldier said militarily, and Eoleo sighed. Back to square one. "Since I see no reason to delay, it shall be done now."

Eoleo frowned, readying his Djinn and mentally preparing to cast whatever Psynergy was needed. This was going to get messy, the exact opposite of what he had wanted. "Quick question," He asked, stalling for time. "What of my crew?"

The leader, who had been prepared to advance, halted, and replied stoically, "They are held in our prison… we are under the impression that cutting off the head of the beast, so to speak, is most important. So, if you are executed, they will be released." He began to move forward, and Eoleo tried to quickly think of something to buy more time.

"Er… may I at least know the name of the man about to take my life?" Eoleo asked, causing pause once again in the soldier.

"Fine, if you must," He replied, clearly not wanting to delay much longer. "I am known as Kato. Now, I shall—"

Eoleo drew Mars Psynergy into his hands, and was about to knock all four of the soldiers in front of him out, when one of the other three soldiers suddenly shouted, "Wait! Look at that charm around his neck!" The other three followed the soldier's outstretched finger, until all eyes landed on the charm Himi had made for Eoleo three years ago.

"…Where did you get that, Eoleo?" Kato asked after a few moments of silence. The demeanor of all of the soldiers had become much less fearful, and more intrigued; even the soldier who had been entertaining them with his constant clanging now seemed somewhat relaxed.

Eoleo, slightly pleased that Kato had been respectful enough to call him by his name rather than refer to his past-piracy, took the charm in his hand. "I received it from a young girl named Himi, around three years ago. She is the reason I am here, I should mention."

"…Wait," Kato whispered, his eyes lingering on the charm. "Are you the pirate who accompanied the princess on her journey three years ago?" Eoleo nodded, and Kato began to stroke his thin cut beard, clearly reconsidering the situation.

"Sir… he may have stole it," the nervous soldier supplied, but Kato shook his head.

"I doubt it; my son has spoken to Himi of her journey to some extent, and she mentioned the pirate she travelled with had red hair; not exactly a common hair coloring," Kato responded, lowering his spear into a non-attacking stance. "Finally, it's very unlikely the charm would have been stolen by him; Himi is a powerful priestess, possibly more so than Lady Kushinada. Taking it from its owner would be hard enough, but wearing it would spell almost certain doom for anyone who stole it and had the nerve to wear it."

"…Then what do we do?" The lone soldier who had not spoken asked, and Kato frowned.

"…I don't mean to be rude, but I just wanted to highlight a few things; we all agree I'm Eoleo, correct?" Eoleo asked, and all four nodded. "So, we also agree I travelled with Himi, and know her to an extent?" More nods. "And you are all aware of Himi's power especially in regards to her Psynergy and Djinn?" More nods, and a cough. Eoleo raised an eyebrow at the soldier who had coughed.

"Er…" He muttered, seemingly embarrassed. "She's grown to be quite good with a blade; I asked her to teach me how to fight, and just about every one of our sessions has left me bruised and battered, while she is constantly unscathed. And I don't exactly hold back, either."

"Alright, so she's a powerful warrior as well," Eoleo replied with a nod. "Now; considering all of that, this means I am probably just as powerful as her if not more so as I have as many Djinn as her and more experience fighting. That being said, do you honestly think any of you could take me, even all at once? There's a reason I've never been caught or defeated in battle." With these words, Mr. Clangsy reignited the percussion that no one had missed, and Kato and the other two soldiers lowered into defensive stances.

"Now, now!" Eoleo said calmly, raising his hands. "Don't worry; I don't want any fighting whatsoever. Which is why I sent my men weaponless and why I do not a weapon myself." All four of them exchanged looks among themselves, no doubt having wondered why a gang of pirates had decided to march into a town without weaponry.

"I am simply here to see my friend Himi, and greet her for her birthday," Eoleo continued, lowering his hands.

"…Why did she not mention this to anyone, then? That you would be coming? You told her, correct?" One of the soldiers questioned, and Eoleo sighed.

"My fault; I wanted it to be a surprise, but in retrospect it was probably a stupid idea to not let her know I was coming. My apologies," Eoleo replied, and the four shared glances once more. "Also worth nothing," Eoleo continued, trying his best to sound as charming and peaceful as possible. "Is that I have renounced piracy, and have begun giving back wealth the Champa have taken over the years. There is no Jolly Roger flying on my ship." He pointed toward the mast, and indeed there was no black pirate flag flapping in the wind.

"I've tried to change my country and myself. It hasn't been easy, but it needed to be done. I can understand your hesitancy to let me in, but I have ties to your princess, and I helped save the world those three years ago. I have come to your shores weaponless, in the daytime, and peacefully. If I REALLY wanted to plunder, would I really be doing all this? Please… at least let me see Himi and Lord Susa."

Kato's gaze pierced his eyes then, and Eoleo met the soldier's keen eyes with his own steely gaze. A brief war of wills emerged, as the soldier tried to discern Eoleo's true intentions. After a few moments passed, the soldier smiled, and gave a hand command to his fellow warriors, before saying, "He seems to speak the truth, and at the least speaks well; he bears the charm of our princess, and truly has done nothing to make us fear him. I cannot really recall Champa ever raiding our city either, to be honest; in fact, if I believe there used to be trade between us. We shall take him to the king."

"S-Should we bind him?" The nervous soldier yelped, clearly not pleased that they were escorting the pirate rather than killing him on the spot.

"Fire," Eoleo dully noted, snapping his fingers and sparking the air around him. "I would burn ropes, and I could possibly rip steel off of me. Furthermore, I refuse to be bound, and as already discussed you cannot defeat me in a fight. So, in other words, let's get going."

"I don't like this, Captain Kato," one of the soldiers whispered, and Kato sighed and shrugged.

"Do we really look like we have a choice? He probably could defeat us, and possibly our entire army, by himself," Kato said slowly. "And he has a good deal of combat trained sailors on that ship, I imagine. We will take him to Lord Susa. That's an order — let's head out."

Eoleo began to walk, and the other three soldiers gave Kato a look before beginning to move as well. Eoleo spared a glance at the still shaking and still clanging soldier, who had the unfortunate luck of being right next to the pirate. "Hey, you," Eoleo said, tapping the soldier on the shoulder, nearly causing him to jump out of his armor. "You got a name?"

"J-J-J-Jun!" The young man shouted after much stuttering, pointing his near-vibrating sword toward Eoleo. His sweat then caused it to slip out of his hands, and he grappled for it in the air before pulling it back down.

Eoleo shook his head, and muttered, "Word of advice; you need to calm the fuck down."

"W-What?" Jun replied, and ahead of both of them Eoleo could have sworn he heard Kato chuckle. A thin smile on his face, Eoleo glanced down at the charm on his chest, stroking it once more with his hands. He would have to thank Himi for all the good luck when he finally got to see her today. As he continued down the road, his thoughts drifted back to the day where he had received the charm; much like this day, it had not gone over too smoothly.

* * *

><p>"<em>…Tyrell?" Came a voice from behind the Mars Adept, who was on his way to tie Matthew's boots together. He turned to see Himi in front of him.<em>

_ "Hey Himi, what's up?" Tyrell asked, smiling brightly. Himi smiled as well; even if he was a bit of a buffoon, Tyrell was one of the more cheery members of the party, which certainly helped keep morale up, especially when they were within the shadow of the Eclipse._

_ "…Er, I was wondering if you could help me with something. You're the only person who has the ability to help, in fact," Himi said, feeling slightly awkward about asking for his assistance. _

_ "Uh, I guess so," Tyrell replied, curious as to what she was talking about. "Can I get more info?"_

_ "Oh, of course!" Himi hastily replied. "But… would you mind if I discussed it with you in my room?"_

"_Er… is Karis in there?" Tyrell asked nervously, and Himi raised an eyebrow._

_ "Possibly, why would that matter?" She replied, and he gulped._

_ "I kind of accidentally set her ponytail on fire earlier, and she didn't seem too pleased," Tyrell revealed with a shaky laugh._

_ "…You set her hair on fire?" Himi asked solemnly with wide eyes, stroking her beloved pigtails in slight fear._

_ "Accidently!" I was practicing my fireballs and one got caught in a draft and… I need to be more careful. I hope she's not too mad," He replied fearfully, and Himi shook her head._

_ "She'll get over it, I think," Himi replied slowly, well aware that it might take a little while for Karis to forgive such an offense. "At the least, she's told me you've done worse, and she's still friends with you even though you've had some bad fights in the past, right?" Tyrell winced. _

_ "Done worse?" He questioned, and she coughed, wishing she had not brought that up. "…Never mind. Well, could we go to my room instead? Matthew's not in there, so we should be alone." _

_ "That sounds fine… where is Matthew, though?" Himi asked, causing Tyrell to chuckle._

_ "Where else? With Sveta," He replied, and then turned and began walking toward his room. Himi, smiling slightly at the thought of the couple and how inseparable they were, followed him._

* * *

><p><em> After Tyrell closed the door, Himi sat down on the bed, her knees bobbing against each other anxiously. "So… to begin with, what I'm about to ask will take quite some time, and will use your Psynergy to a great degree. Do you… happen to have any Psy Crystals?" Himi explained, and Tyrell nodded.<em>

_ "Yep! I've got two; I buy them whenever I can, because sometimes I burn through my Psynergy Points without realizing it," Tyrell replied, pulling said crystals out of his pack. "So… specifically, what do you need me to do?"_

_ "Well…" Himi began, pulling a few objects out of a bag she had been carrying, and laying them down on the bed, "I would like your help in creating a good luck charm for Eoleo."_

_ "Uh…" Tyrell responded after a few seconds of silence. "Isn't that kind of a waste of time?"_

_ Himi frowned, and asked, "And what would you mean by that?"_

_ Tyrell shrugged, replying, "Well, aren't good luck charms and all that a bunch of crap?"_

_ "N-NO! They are very real! And an important part of Yamatain culture!" Himi retorted, offended. "It is the sacred rite of Yamatain Priestesses to craft sacred charms for those they care for!"_

_ "Oh… sorry," Tyrell replied, still slightly skeptical. "So… you must really like Eoleo if you're making this for him."_

_ "…Y-Yes," Himi whispered with a blush, and Tyrell smiled. _

_ "Aww! He'll like it, I'm sure. What's it made out of, by the way?" Tyrell asked._

_ "Gold," Himi replied simply, and Tyrell snickered. _

_ "Yep! He'll love it!" The fire Adept joked, and then grinned at Himi's resulting glare. "What? He's a pirate? I'm not judging, I've actually been meaning to ask him about joining up. Anyway, how are we making this thing?"_

_ "Ugh," Himi replied, picturing Tyrell wearing an eye-patch and drunkenly hitting on young women in bars. "I'm going to ignore that thought. In order to make it, I must apply a special powder into gold melted by Mars Psynergy, then apply a lock of my hair along with the hair of the person the charm is meant for, all while blessing it with the ancient magic of my people. It's a long process, which is why I waited till after dinner to ask you. It can take anywhere from four to six hours, and must not be rushed; if it is, the charm may do the opposite of what it is intended to."_

_ "Oh, wow," Tyrell muttered; six hours in Tyrell-time was a long while. That was worth at least twelve pranks, a nice nap, or the bliss of hanging around Karis (minus the arguing, that was). _

_ "…You do not have to, if you do not want to," Himi replied, sensing Tyrell's apprehension. "You didn't know how large of a task it would be, as I only just told you now. It's just that you are best handled for the task, as you are a Mars Adept. I could ask someone else to borrow your Mars Djinn to help, but…"_

_ "No, it's fine, I'll do it; but on one condition," Tyrell interrupted, realizing how much this charm meant to Himi. _

_ "Oh?" Himi questioned, and Tyrell smiled sheepishly._

_ "Could you help me make one for Karis later?" Tyrell asked with mild embarrassment, and Himi smiled; she had long wondered if there was more to Karis and Tyrell than constant bickering. _

_ "Of course! What stone would you like to make it with?" Himi asked, more than happy to return the favor._

_ "Err… would Amethyst be alright? You know, like her eyes…" Tyrell suggested, and Himi bit her lip._

_ "Well… truth be told it's terribly difficult to melt," Himi replied, but to her surprise Tyrell simply laughed._

_ "Oh, don't worry about that," He said with a great grin. "If it can melt, I can melt it – just wait till you see what I do to this gold!" _

_ Himi smiled in reply, and began to sort her equipment out, highlighting which each was used for. "This is the casing for the charm," She began, holding up two hollowed square blocks. "They are reinforced with fire-proof Psynergy, so they cannot melt." She then held up the gold they would use, the two locks of hair ("How did you get his hair, Himi?" Tyrell asked teasingly. "…It was while he was sleeping," She whispered embarrassedly), fireproof mitts to meld the shape of the charm and finally the magical powder she had referred to._

_ Within a few minutes of more in detail explanation, they were ready to begin. First, Tyrell had to molt the gold until it fit roughly into the oval base of the first casting. This was difficult, because he had to heat it enough so that it slid in, but not so much so that it became liquid and lost its solidity. Himi wore the mitts, slowly shaping the charm. Eventually, they fit it in the casting, and, chanting slowly, Himi sprinkled in the powder and the hair. _

_ Then, with a satisfied smile, despite the fact that they were just starting, she placed the other casting on top, latching them together. "Okay! Now is your true task, Tyrell; heat it until it melts," Himi directed, and with a crack of his knuckles, Tyrell held his hands out. Within a moment they began to glow red, and his brow became laced with focus. _

_ After ten minutes, his sweat drenched face formed a smile, and he nodded briefly. She returned the nod, and placed her hand on the top of the casting. He gave her an inquiring eyebrow, and she said, "I forgot to mention my part; along with the spells I must cast, I need to move the contents within so everything is spread out evenly. It is a difficult process, as it requires the utmost concentration." He nodded, leaving her to it._

_ Himi had only made one charm before, and it had been with the guidance of her mother, but she had assumed she would be able to perform the process adequately. She bit her lip as she realized she may be over her head… no, she could do it. She just needed focus._

_ Himi regulated her breathing to be slow in between the spells she cast, which were numerous and could last ten minutes at most. Her eyes did not blink or move from her hand, as she slowly swirled the contents Tyrell kept heated. After what felt like forever, she saw out of the corner of her eyes a brief purple light. Realizing Tyrell had used one of his crystals, she renewed her focus; she was near halfway done, and approaching the most dangerous and trying stretch of the process._

_ She was tasked to string long lines of spells together, which were incredibly complex to pronounce, and afforded for second long respites for breath only every minute. She felt her hand start to shake as time waned on, and her concentration slowly began to wane. Why had she decided to craft the most difficult-to-form charm? Suddenly, an image of Eoleo flashed in her mind, and she smiled. It was because Eoleo deserved it, and had been nothing but kind to her since their meeting. _

_ She closed her eyes for the first time with renewed confidence, and felt her spirituality flow directly from her body into the golden charm in the casting. Suddenly, she felt the Third Eye grow white-hot… but she felt no pain. Instead, her focus grew even greater, and she felt the Third Eye radiate power within her. She expected fear, but instead she felt an overwhelming calm… and then there was darkness._

* * *

><p><em> Himi opened her eyes, and blinked. Her legs felt quite wea — Himi felt her legs fail her, but as she tripped a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, and then she felt the warm comfort of the bed engulf her. She laid face down for a few moments as she tried to flip over, hearing heavy panting behind her. After some struggle, she managed to turn her body, and found Tyrell leaning his hands on his legs and breathing in deeply. <em>

_ "Well, I don't know what the hell that was, but you sure finished up in a hurry," He panted, and she raised an eyebrow._

_ "What happened?" She asked, the feeling of weakness quickly evaporating from her body. _

_ "You mean…?" Tyrell began, his mouth agape. "That freaking eye is SPOOKY. It started glowing after you closed your eyes, then shot directly though the casting," He pointed to the whole it had made, "And then you started chanting faster than I could understand. Then, after a minute, you fainted. I'm sorry I let go of the heating, but I had to catch you."_

_ Himi sat dumbfounded, believing his story but still amazed that it had happened. She placed her hand on the casting, and checked inside with her Search Psynergy. The charm was definitely complete… in fact, it was the strongest charm she had ever felt. Protective magic radiated from it, and her jaw dropped at what she had created._

_ …With the help of the Third Eye. Slowly she reached up and touched the bizarre marking; perhaps it held some good in it after all._

_ "Well, that was my excitement for the day," Tyrell said, stretching with a yawn. "I'm beat… how about you?"_

_ Himi tried to stand, but despite feeling much less nauseous, found herself unable to. "I can't get up," She whispered pitifully, and he nodded. _

_ "I can't blame you; here, you know what, take my bed. For all I know you cursed (or blessed) it with some weird magic. I'll sleep on Matthew's," Tyrell said, making his way to the Venus Adept's bed._

_ "He won't mind?" Himi asked, as she closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the covers._

_ "Hell if I know," Tyrell replied with a yawn, and Himi smiled before sinking off to sleep._

* * *

><p><em> "I'll see you later Sveta, I'm going to head in early," Matthew said in front of his door, giving the beastgirl a hug. While it was light and brief, it was the first he had given her, and Sveta blushed deeply. Her blush was only hidden by the cloak of night and her soft fur and she turned to give her one last smile before opening and closing his door. She let out a small and very content sigh before strolling on down the hallway. <em>

_ "Sveta, have you seen Himi?" came Karis's voice from her right, and she turned to see the green-haired Jupiter Adept walking toward her._

_ "No, Karis. Why?" Sveta asked, still a bit lightheaded._

_ "Just wondering; haven't seen her for awhile," Karis replied with a shrug._

_ "That's odd… I'm sure she's around somewhere," Sveta replied, staring at Karis. Something about her seemed… off. Was… her hair… blackened? "Karis, what happened to your hair?"_

_ Karis's back grew rigid, and Sveta could see the anger glow in her eyes as the purple-eyed girl seethed, "Tyrell. Fireballs."_

_ "Oh my… perhaps I could help?" Sveta supplied, and Karis raised an eyebrow._

_ "With my hair?" She asked, and Sveta nodded._

_ "Yes! Beastman healing is more oriented in nature, and we can often heal injured hair… it's important when you're covered in it from head to toe," Sveta said, and Karis smiled and nodded._

_ "Sure, thanks Sveta!" She replied, and they walked to their room to work on the poor girl's singed hair._

* * *

><p><em> "Time for a nice – oh Gods no," Matthew whispered as he viewed Tyrell spread out on his bed. He was about to smack him with the flat of his sword and tell him to get up when he noticed a flare of red in Tyrell's bed, and squinted to see Himi engulfed in its covers.<em>

_ "…I'm not even going to ask," The Venus Adept muttered, taking a deep sigh before stripping down to his undergarments and undershirt and slowly crawling next to Tyrell. It wasn't that bad, he supposed; they had slept in the same bed when they had been younger. Granted, he would have greatly preferred if Tyrell was female… and perhaps a little more furry. His thoughts became lost in a sea of Sveta's face, scent, and soft fur, and he quickly fell asleep._

* * *

><p><em> Himi awoke with a yawn, experiencing a brief spell of confusion before realizing she was in Tyrell's bed. She quickly gathered her materials and placed them in her bag (after taking the cooled charm out of the casting), all the while wondering where Tyrell was. As she made her way to the door quietly, she glanced to Matthew's bed and giggled. The Venus and Mars Adept were tangled in each others' arms and wearing very satisfied smiles. She made a note to bring it up around both Sveta and Karis the next day as she left the room. <em>

_ Not wanting to disturb Karis and Sveta, who judging by the darkness surrounding her would be asleep or getting close to heading to bed, Himi went to the main cabin to finish the charm. When she arrived, she found a table, spread out her materials, and began to work. She encrusted numerous tiny gems into the front of the charm, using a special Yamatain ceremonial glue and digging out the slots for the sparkly stones with a small scalpel like instrument. _

_ While she could not directly manipulate solid metal, being a Venus Adept allowed her to easily cut through and shape the golden charm to her liking. After merely ten minutes, she had placed numerous small emeralds and rubies in a ring around the charm's front, and a somewhat large ruby in the middle. She smiled as she glanced down at her work; she was immensely proud of what she had accomplished. _

_ So much so that Himi decided to throw sense to the wind, jumped off the bench after placing all but the charm back in the bag, and ran straight to Eoleo's room. She figured he of all people would be up, after all. When she arrived, she knocked twice, only to hear silence. Thinking he would probably be in the galley, she opened the door to leave it on his desk along with a note explaining what it was. _

_ However, as she entered the room, she realized from the faint sound of snoring and a large lump in the bed that Eoleo was indeed in the room, and asleep. Yawning at the sight of the sleeping behemoth, Himi walked over to the bed. With a smile, she gently fastened the charm's necklace around the pirate's neck. After she finished, she rubbed his head gently, and then turned to leave._

_ At that very moment, Eoleo reached his hand out on his sleep, and brushed against Himi's. She turned back to him in shock, assuming he had awakened, but then realized she was mistaken; he was still fast asleep._

_ "Well," Himi whispered, her hand drifting toward the covers. "Karis is a light sleeper, so I may wake her up if I go back to our room… I might as well just stay here." Ignoring the obvious issues with the idea, Himi hoisted herself up unto the bed, and dug leaned against Eoleo. While his skin was leathery, it also held a certain softness to it, which Himi felt made for a fine pillow._

_ To preserve some modesty, she did not pull the covers over herself, but rather lied on top of them. It took her no time at all to fall asleep once more, a smile across her young face. She stayed that way for an hour, until a draft blew in from the open window, and wafted over her. She did not wake, but her body grew cold, and she began to shiver in her sleep._

* * *

><p><em> Eoleo found himself among very pleasant dreams; some of the most pleasant he had experienced in quite some time, actually. However, he slowly fell out of them as he felt a light shaking on his side. Regaining slight consciousness, he first imagined it was his side shaking from the cold, but then realized it was something next to him. Wait. Next to him?<em>

_ Eoleo opened his eyes slowly and squinted. Whatever it was, it was small. He was almost positive it was a person. Was that… black hair… and those robes… _

_ "HIMI!" Eoleo shouted, bolting upright. As he did so, he catapulted Himi, whose head had been lying on his arm. With a gulp he quickly reached out and grabbed her with his hands, letting go just as quickly as he realized he had grabbed her by the chest. She fell delicately onto the bed as he panted heavily, then began to stir as he held his head in his hands and whispered, "How drunk did I get last night? What the hell is going on?"_

_ "E-Eoleo?" Himi questioned sleepily, slowly rising to a sitting position. She quickly realized what had occurred, and gulped, then sputtered, "Oh, it's not what it looks like! I came to give you a charm I made you, but you were asleep, and I was tired, so I lied down and accidentally drifted off to sleep." Himi bit her lip; she didn't want to lie, but she didn't want him to think badly of her either. _

_ "Oh… okay," He whispered, still confused as all hell. Piracy was one thing; being in bed with fourteen-year-old girls was another. "Ummm… this be the charm, then?" He held up the gold piece, and she nodded. "…Wow. Himi, you made this yourself?" His eyes began to light up as he observed the detail and quality of the charm._

_ "W-With Tyrell's help," She whispered. "I added the spiritual aspects, and the jewels and such."_

_ "This is amazing!" He exclaimed, examining every aspect of the charm as Himi blushed at his praise. "I mean, if there's one thing I know, it's treasure, and this is priceless! And not because it's so well made, but because you made it for me." He beamed at her, and she smiled back. It was hard for her to say just how much it meant to her, that he liked it this much._

_ "What does it do as a charm?" Eoleo asked; he was a firm non-believer in these sorts of things, but had grown to understand the importance of respecting other people's customs and beliefs. Besides, the important thing was the work and passion she had put into it._

_ "Oh… it is actually very powerful, one of the most powerful I have ever seen," She replied, staring at the charm fondly. "It gives you great luck and fortune, and should shield you from dangers to a certain extent. I hope it serves you well."_

_ "I'm sure it will. Thank you," He replied kindly, placing it back around his neck. "So… you should probably go back to your room then…"_

_ "Oh… right…" Himi responded, before biting her lip. "Would… it be alright if I stayed?"_

_ He glanced down at her with a frown, and weighed his options. If he said no, she would be quite sad, but it was probably the right thing to do. But… what harm would come of it? Nothing would happen, and they would be separated by the covers. Eoleo then stared at Himi and realized how cold she truly was; even now she was shaking._

_ "Alright," He replied, and her face lit up. "But only on one condition; you sleep under the covers, while I sleep over them."_

_ "Oh, no, Eoleo, I'm not that cold, and it's your bed! I'll be—" She tried to deny his request, but he held up his hand and shook his head. _

_ "Nope. That's how it's going to be. Here," He replied, pulling up the covers. "You can have them all, and wrap yourself in them, like a little Himi burrito!"_

_ "…Burrito?" Himi questioned, having never heard the term before._

_ "Oh… it's a nice type of food… like a wrap… I'll get you one sometime," Eoleo responded, realizing that someone who had lived in one place for their life would have little knowledge of the rest of the world. He then began to wrap her in the covers, much to her dismay and vocal objections. _

_ "Now hush! I'll be fine!" He assured her as he finished. "I'm a Mars Adept, I'll stay plenty warm. Now, get some sleep."_

_ "…Fine. Thank you, Eol," Himi replied, smiling warmly as she closed her eyes._

_ "Of course. Thank you for the charm, Himi," He replied, rubbing her head, drawing out another smile as she began to grow sleepy. Eoleo waited until he was sure she was indeed asleep before going to sleep himself, and was happy to find his dreams just as pleasant as before. _

_ Himi, meanwhile, having feigned sleep, smiled as she peaked an eye open and noticed Eoleo had finally become lost to his dreams. With a frown, she realized he was shivering slightly. Slowly and quietly, she undid the covers around her, and pulled them over both her and Eoleo. She smiled as she leaned back into him, his arm her pillow, and fell asleep._

* * *

><p>"We've arrived at the palace!" Came a shout from behind Eoleo, breaking him from his fond memories.<p>

"Well, here goes nothing," The pirate muttered; if he recalled correctly, Susa hadn't been too hard on him during their first meeting. Then again, he was fairly sure Susa hadn't known him to be a pirate.

"Eoleo," Said Kato, turning to him. "…Good luck. Watch your mouth around our King, as he is not a fan of off-color remarks, regardless of whether or not they're made in good humor." Eoleo smiled at the captain, and nodded.

"Thank you for the advice… and for letting me keep my head," Eoleo replied with a light bow. To his surprise, Kato returned it.

"Thank you for not ripping my spear out of my hands," The captain replied with a wry smile, as they began to move up the palace steps.

Eoleo spared another quick glance at his precious charm; it had never failed him before, so he had every reason to believe that it would protect him now. Rather than protection though, he would appreciate nothing more than a little dash of luck. It was with these thoughts that he brought his gaze forward once more, and stepped through the palace doors.

* * *

><p><em>Loooong. I did not expect this chapter to be this long, but it happens. Which is also my lame-ass excuse for it being so late :D .<em>

_I feel like Eoleo is probably the most stable Mars Adept we see in the games; while he had a bit of a wild-streak, he also understands what the difference between living and dying is, and how the two can be so small. As such, when things go south, as they did here, he's all business, and on his toes. I love writing Eoleo as a badass, if that wasn't evident. I mean, I don't know how else you write him, but there it is._

_I worry that the pacing kind of exploded here and there, which is always an issue in larger chapters. Tyrell and Himi got more screen time together than I had expected, and I worry that section was a bit dull. Still, fun way to bring in the Third Eye. Imagine if it cursed Eoleo. Gosh, that would suck._

_The ending with them sleeping in the same bed is kind of pushing it… I'd figure more so if it was romantic in the slightest, which it really isn't. I mean, you see the seeds, and understand they probably have those feelings, but there's a big difference between having them (here they're still being developed) and acting on them. IE, making out in the bed. I'M NOT WRITING FOURTEEN YEAR OLD HIMI AND EOLEO KISSING SCENES. Okay, had to get that out of the way._

_Oh, and you can BET the charm comes back into play. In cool ways, too! So, I'm going to leave off for now. Happy with his, even if it is a day late. I can stand that, I guess, but I need to cut out the crap and get my writing done. Thanks for reading, expect an update maybe quicker than you usually would! :P_


	4. Friendly Advice

_Hey! Good to be back for another chapter. This one's actually really cool, and I'm glad I'm finally getting to it; on my list of chapters, it's been one of the ones I circled as my most excited to write._

_To begin with, I'm glad people thought the ending of the last chapter was awkward, because that's how it should be. The occurrences within it weren't meant to just be glazed over; as you'll see, the choice comes back to haunt them, slightly._

_Anyway, here is the chapter!_

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: Friendly Advice<p>

"You're, um, hair looks very nice," Kati commented politely, sipping on his tea after he spoke. "I've… never seen it down." Himi shrugged, and took a sip from her own cup.

"It was my idea and my choice. My father would no doubt be very displeased if he saw me like this," She replied, placing her tea on a coaster and glancing around the tea-shop with an irk-ridden glare clouding her usually vibrant face.

It wasn't that she disliked her dates with Kati; he was very pleasant to talk to, and could get her to laugh and smile easily enough. She had known him for a long time, and knew him to be a fine young man with outstanding morals and whatnot. Dating him wasn't even all that bad (if that's what it was to be considered as), although she only viewed him as a friend.

No, it was the infernal gossip that surrounded them like flies attacking a lantern. "Oooh, she just smiled!" "Awww, they're such a cute couple, why doesn't she just say yes already?" "Lucky Himi! I wish Kati was trying to be MINE!" It drove her insane, that each of these lunch trips, or tea-dates, or simple walks through town always turned into her being some kind of spectacle for the rest of the city.

"Just ignore them… we could leave, if you'd like," Kati supplied, but she shook her head with a sigh. It would happen everywhere they went, and she actually wanted tea quite badly. It helped soothe her mind.

"I think it's going to happen, Kati," Himi said slowly, raising her eyes to meet his. Before he could ask what she meant, she whispered, "I think I'm going to have to choose you. I'm sorry, but you seem to be the only logical choice for my husband. Even if my father does delay the decision, I have no one else to choose. I know every other young man on this island. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kati said with a shrug, touching her hand from across the table. "It could be a lot worse; we're friends, so we'll have a good relationship, even if it's generally not romantic. You know I will treat you honorably, that I will—"

"Would you let me be free?" Himi interrupted, her tone stern. She frowned, and cleared her throat. "My apologies, today is a day I have long dreaded."

"It's fine," Kati said with a nervous wave of his hand, and Himi smiled. He was such a gentle and honest soul, it made the thought of being bound with him somewhat pleasing. "And I want you to be able to be yourself… but, your father… he'll probably try to play a hand in your life."

"And will you let him?" Himi asked stoically, doing her best to not show that this question had been simmering in her mind for months on end.

"W-Well, he is the king, and your father, and—"

"And you will be my husband, and I will expect you to treat me with respect, and not listen to my father's wishes," She said firmly, interrupting him once again. "I am tired of being controlled. When I am queen, I will share power equal to yours, period. And I will not have my marriage be ruled by my father, even if he is the one to force it together." She paused to take a sip of tea. "…Are you afraid of me, Kati?"

"Oh… well…" Kati gulped, and sighed. "To be honest, you have a lot of Susa in you. A lot of Kushinada too, but you are very fierce. So, I guess I am. I'm more afraid of making you unhappy, though, Himi. Even if it's not love, I want you to enjoy your life, and I'm afraid I'm not right for that."

"What of your love life, Kati?" Himi whispered, tracing the lines in the table with her fingernails. "I have one who I know I can never be with, but you are young as well; surely a girl in the village has caught your attention?"

She could not help but giggle at the resulting blushing of her date. "I-I've been committed to you, Himi. I've really had no time to—"

"Is it Shari?" Himi asked, cutting to the chase. The look of petrified horror on Kati's face made it clear that she was correct.

"H-How did you know?" He asked lowly, not wanting anyone to overhear. Age differences in relationships where the woman was older were often frowned upon, and he no doubt feared this.

"Oh, it's pretty obvious… you're always the most chipper when she comes with me to see me off, as she did today," Himi replied teasingly, causing her date to gulp. "And then you two made eyes at each other, and I swear she blew you a kiss as she walked away."

"You saw that too!" Kati whispered serenely, before coughing and muttering, "I mean, Himi, you know I'm committed to you. I don't want to make this any harder for you. Perhaps I… do have feelings for Shari, but I doubt it could work out, and I would feel terrible abandoning you on such short notice."

"I'd feel worse letting you be with someone you don't love when a girl you care for is right in front of you," Himi replied ardently, taking the last sip of her tea and bluntly placing the cup on the table. Kati coughed, but remained silent.

"Listen… Kati, it's not that I don't like you, but I need someone different as a husband," Himi said slowly. "I need someone who will lead with me, not lead behind or in front of me. I want my husband to view me as an equal, and treat me as one."

"Oh, Himi I would never think myself better than you, or anything like that, I…" He trailed off as she raised a finger to silence him.

"Did you see that?" She exclaimed, throwing her arms out, causing the table to shake and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. "I just raised a finger, and you halted! It's not that I fear you controlling me, it's that I fear me controlling you!"

"T-That's preposterous!" Kati shouted back in return. "I am the proud son of one of our military's finest soldiers, and I will follow in his footsteps!"

"Kati, please, you have to be honest with yourself," Himi replied, standing up and moving around the table to sit down next to him. "You know who you are, and I know who you are; you are a sweet boy, who has no interest in fighting, or matters of the state."

"…It is my duty to do both, so I will," He replied defiantly, crossing his arms and looking away.

"No, it is not your duty, it is mine," Himi replied steadfast, patting him on the shoulder. "I was born into this, and I accept that role and the responsibilities that comes with it. You do not wish to; we have similar problems, as both of our fathers seem to continually influence are decisions. However, I believe there is a slight difference; your father would actually listen if you just told him that marrying me and joining the military wasn't for you."

"He has trained me since I was young, Himi," Kati replied dejectedly. "I can't just give up on his teachings and abandon what he has imagined for me. I would be a terrible son in doing so."

"Did you even ever tell him about your love for pottery, and wanting to open up a pottery shop?" Himi asked pointedly, and Kati shrugged and shook his head. "Well, there you go! You have to be honest with him! And you have been a great son, Kati, always doing what your father asks and trying your hardest to please him and uphold his honor!"

"…I suppose I could bring it up. But isn't it a bit too late?" Kati asked, glancing at Himi. "I mean… you have to choose today, and I think this date in the minds of everyone else in the city was when I was supposed to ask you and you were supposed to say yes to our marriage. I'd still feel bad about leaving you having to grasp at finding another candidate."

"You don't have to worry about that," Himi said with a smile. "For I am going to refuse my father; I will only choose a husband when I find one who satisfies me. Period."

Kati's eyes widened, and he stared down at the table. "You are truly brave, young Miko," He said in a somewhat awed whisper. "Lord Susa is most… determined that your decision is given today."

"If I am going to rule my people, I need to not be willing to sacrifice my own happiness to satisfy others," Himi replied swiftly. "How can the city trust me to rule and make important decisions if I can't make them regarding my own life? Have you ever heard a story of a ruler who led well when they were forced into a marriage they did not want? I have not. My father has no right to talk to me about doing crazy things for the sake of love; he slayed our God for my mother's sake."

"Himi… I can't help admire how brave you are," Kati began with a cough. "But might you consider… I mean… Lord Susa is awfully scary."

"I am done being blindly led by my father. I am eighteen, and a woman. If he believes he shall keep ruling my life, he is a fool. I will stand up to him today," Himi replied with a firm nod, although she was not quite as confident in her own mind. If only Kushinada was here; her mother was the only person who could truly convince her father of much of anything.

"So… who exactly is this man you do wish to be with?" Kati asked cautiously, and Himi froze. Speaking about Eoleo wasn't exactly… well… she had never really told anyone. She had mention to Kushinada that her ideal man was a little odd, but never really gone into detail, and her mother had respected her wishes to speak lightly on the subject.

Himi dropped her voice to a whisper, and said, "Do you know of the Champan Pirate, Eoleo?"

"…EOL—!" Kati shouted before Himi's hand shut his mouth.

"SHH! Fool! Do you wish to set the town ablaze with rumors! Speak in a whisper!" Himi whispered harshly, her heart beating like a war drum.

"O-Of course I know of him," Kati said under his breath, his eyes wide. "You… him… isn't he like, 30?"

"35! That's part of the problem!" Himi said fanatically. "Not to mention that I haven't seen him for nearly four years! And, well…"

"He's a pirate?" Kati supplied, and she nodded dejectedly. "Yeah, if I know anything about Lord Susa, that's not going to go well at all. Does Eoleo know that today you have to choose a husband?"

"I mentioned it in passing, but who knows if he remembered it… I'm not sure if he knows it's my birthday today as well," Himi divulged, and Kati raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds like a great guy…" He muttered, and she sent him a glare and punched his shoulder. "Ow! I'm just saying, he's a pirate! He could be a shady character."

"He most certainly is not a shady character!" Himi growled, picturing Eoleo's brilliant smile in her head as she did so. "I got to know him well on our quest, and I still talk to him regularly via letter. Besides, he was only a pirate because he needed to feed and support his home! Would you do the same?" Kate gave a slight nod, in a clear attempt to be understanding despite his obvious distaste. "And he's never forgotten my birthday before… it's not like him."

"Maybe he's been busy, or his letter got lost?" Kati suggested, taking another sip of his tea. "Or, maybe he's coming to surprise you?" Himi's eyebrows rose as she considered that possibility. It would make sense, as she honestly didn't think he would just forget about her birthday. Also there was the ship that had randomly come into shore… but she was probably getting ahead of herself. He most likely, as hard as it was to admit, had forgotten about it. About her.

"I hope so," She sighed, and Kati, sensing her sadness gave her a light hug.

"Hey! No need for that," He said cheerily, pushing her chin up with his hand and beaming into her eyes. "I'm sure it will work out; if you like him that much, he must be a great guy. I wonder, though; how did you, uh, develop feelings for him?"

"Oh… it's a funny story, actually," Himi said with a giggle. "I was so naïve about the entire thing… it started, I think, after one night where I fell — accidentally fell asleep in his bed."

"YOU WHAT!" Kati shouted as she began to search her memories. After hushing him once more, she began to retell the tale.

* * *

><p><em> Eoleo woke up groggily, stretching lightly as he willed himself to open his eyes. No matter how sober he was, he had never been able to simply get out of bed, and in this case he was definitely NOT completely sober. He enjoyed lying for a good five to ten minutes and simply breathe in the salt air (provided he was on the sea, as was usually the case) and think. <em>

_ He had already begun this process when a feeling in his mind suggested that something was off, minus his hangover. After a moment, he realized there was a tiny weight on his side. He twisted his neck to check, and noticed what looked like a girl lying next to him. At least, he assumed it was a girl from the black hair streaking down her back. _

_ "…Guess I got some action last night," He said with a yawn, his memory still hazy. But, after a moment, he frowned; that didn't make sense, they were still on sea and hadn't touched shore. He couldn't have met a girl and brought her on board… so that meant… oh Mars, he had slept with one of the girls on the boat! _

_ Eoleo gulped as his head quickly began to piece things together. The fact that he had fooled around with ANY of the girls was awkward, as he knew that none were of age, but — Eoleo's thoughts froze as he realized that only one girl on board had black hair, and that said girl was Himi. _

_ This was really, really, bad! He couldn't remember anything… how on Weyard had this happened? He sat still, a virtual panic attack running through his entire body. Maybe… maybe this isn't what it looked like. Eoleo tried to calm himself down, breathing slowly as he searched his mind for any memories. As he did so, the pirate noticed something gold hanging from his neck. _

_ Eoleo grasped the charm in his mind, and paused for a second before everything that had happened the night before flowed back into his mind. He let out a deep breath, realizing that nothing along the lines that he had been thinking had occurred. She had just wanted to sleep in his bed, and he had been too tired to say no. Still… this certainly wasn't, well, right._

_ "Hmmm?" Came Himi's voice, followed by a tiny yawn. Eoleo couldn't help but smile at how cute it sounded, and soon enough found himself yawning as well. Being a much larger and louder person, the low rumble he produced was more than enough to push Himi from a nearly sleeping state to a much more awakened one._

_ "Oh, Eoleo! Good morning!" She piped happily, clamping around his chest in a hug. He returned it gingerly and with an awkward smile._

_ "Er… Himi? Why am I under the covers? Didn't we…" He trailed off, and she coughed._

_ "Oh… well, you were cold, so I thought… I mean, it's not bad, right? It's fine, we were just…" Himi trailed off as well, realizing now that she was awake rather than as tired as she had been last night that the position they were in was very compromising. And, with a frown, she noted it must be even more so for him than her._

_ "H-Hey, it was just innocent, I mean…" Eoleo began, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head as he shifted up onto the bed. She didn't meet his eyes as he continued, "We're just friends. We just shouldn't let it happen again."_

_ "R-Right. I'm sorry about this, I was just tired, and… I'll go," Himi said timidly, swinging her legs off the bed, and wanting to get away from Eoleo as fast as possible. She had prided herself for so long on thinking things through, and then this? Of course it was inappropriate for her to sleep next to such an older man, even if it was only… for amiable reasons. _

_ She felt so embarrassed, having put Eoleo, someone who had never taken advantage of her size and had always helped her though her problems in the few months she had known him, in such an awkward situation. _

_ "A-Alright, I'll talk to you later," Eoleo stuttered, conflicting emotions welling inside him. She said nothing as she opened and closed his door, and he sighed. He should have just said no; stupid, stupid, stupid! And now she was either mad at him or embarrassed. It had felt so natural, though. Not like there had been anything romantic to it, but… it had just felt… right._

_ It's not like she wasn't pretty… it's just that she was fourteen. And it's not like he didn't like her… it's just that she was fourteen. And it's not like he didn't sleep well (it was one of the better nights of rest he'd had in a long while)… it's just that she was fourteen. Hell, maybe if she was older, he would throw his arms around, pull her in close, and—_

_ "Oh Gods damn me," Eoleo whispered to himself, staring at the wall in utter disbelief. "I think I have a thing for a fourteen year old girl."_

* * *

><p><em> Himi sighed as she exited Eoleo's room, her black hair waving undone as she walked. She liked wearing it down, but it kind of got in the way… maybe if she cut it short, it would be nicer. She would have to ask Karis or Sveta to help put it back; how it had gotten undone was beyond her. Perhaps she had pulled her "decorative hair ornaments" off after finishing the charm in elation, or in the middle of the night while sleeping.<em>

_ "…Hey Himi, what were you doing in Eoleo's room? You look nice with your hair down, by the way." Came Karis's voice, breaking her from her thoughts. Himi paused for a moment, and then gulped. She would have to tread carefully._

_ "Oh, thank you," She replied, trying to keep her composure. "I was just asking Eoleo if he wanted breakfast." She tried to continue walking, but Karis's voice stopped her once more._

_ "Ah, alright… um, if you don't mind me asking, where did you sleep last night? I don't think you ever came into our room."_

_ "Oh, you're correct, I, er, slept on the couch in the main cabin," Himi supplied._

_ "Ah… when did you wake up, then?" Karis asked, and Himi mentally swore. Karis may not have picked up her father's inherent Mind Read, but it sure seemed as if she could see directly through lies._

_ "…About an hour," She said hesitantly._

_ "Odd. I was in there two hours ago, and—" Karis frowned as she finally caught Himi, who sighed and shook her head._

_ "I… I lied. I slept in Eoleo's room last night. BUT NOTHING HAPPENED!" Himi added quickly as Karis's eyes widened and the air around her sparked with purple electricity. "Please, it was really my fault, and—"_

_ "Himi, you go get into a new set of clothes and get ready for the day. I'M going to go have a talk with Eoleo," Karis said lethally, turning towards the pirate's door while ignoring Himi's protests and then kicking it. _

_ "Oh my," Himi whispered, fearful for the Mars Adept. She winced as much shouting occurred, followed by the door slamming. "…Good luck, Eol," She said as she began to walk towards her room._

* * *

><p><em> "EOLEO!" Screamed Karis, flinging the door shut behind her, nearly ripping the hinges. <em>

_ "Muwavah?" Eoleo sprouted gibberish, grabbing his chest in surprise._

_ "Exactly why was Himi sleeping in your room last night?" Karis shouted, and Eoleo swallowed slowly. The air around her was now crackling, and wind blew through the room, lifting up his covers and strays papers._

_ "Karis; I can explain… just please, calm down, it's not what it looks like," Eoelo said slowly and calmly, praying that she would indeed take his advice._

_ "It sure as hell better not be what it looks like, she's fourteen Eoleo!" Karis growled. After a few more tense seconds of glaring and the air around her filling with more and more static electricity, she sighed and the miniature storm ceased. "Well, go ahead; explain."_

_ "Yesterday Himi made me a charm," Eoleo began hurriedly, holding out said charm. "It was late when she finished it, and she wanted to deliver it; so, she found me asleep, and rather than leave it and go, fell asleep on my bed. I woke up a bit later, she officially gave it to me, and then she wanted to stay because she was tired and already comfortable._

_ "…And I said yes. It wasn't a good idea, and I should have said no, but she was so adorable when she asked… you know that look she gives you when she really wants something…?" Eoleo trailed off as Karis's incredulous glare dug into him. "Er, maybe not. Anyway… nothing like… you know, that happened. I would never!"_

_ "You're telling the truth," Karis replied after a few moments of tense silence. "I'm still pissed; she's a fourteen year old girl, and you're an adult. She of course thought it was completely innocent, and you… probably did too, but something like that just can't happen. I mean, I wanted you two to bond, but THIS is too far." Eoleo nodded solemnly, looking down shamefully._

_ "I'm really sorry, it's a mess… it won't happen again," He said sullenly, and Karis sighed._

_ "Good. And… you… you don't think she has feelings for you, do you?" Karis asked, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "You know… like… she doesn't see you in a romantic light?"_

_ "Hahaha! I doubt it!" Eoleo shouted with mirth, the thought making him laugh. Himi, fall for him? It was hilarious! _

_ Karis frowned darkly, and muttered, "It's not that odd, you know…" earning a raised eyebrow from Eoleo. "Oh…" She coughed with a blush on her face. "I may have had a crush on an older man when I was younger."_

_ "…Uh. Okay," Eoleo said, not really sure how to respond. "What was he like?"_

_ "…Fiery, but in a controlled way. I snapped out of it pretty quickly. I had other reasons… but… never mind, I have no idea why I brought this up," Karis replied, slapping her head lightly. "It just fit into the conversation, and… don't tell anyone!" Eoleo raised his hand in compliance, and she sighed. "…You don't have feelings for her, right?"_

_ "O-Oh, me?" Eoleo coughed, looking around the room. "Come now, Karis! I'm well versed with the ladies (Karis glared as he said this), and I have no interest in such a young lass! It's wrong to begin with, and… well… yeah."_

_ "If you were trying to convince me, it didn't work," Karis muttered, worriedly. "You two seem awfully close… just remember there's a line you shouldn't cross, alright?"_

_ "You have my word nothing more will come of this," Eoleo replied, and Karis frowned. The fact that it was a pirate's word withstanding, she also just wasn't sure that Eoleo was correct about that. "Could you… er… talk to her about it?" Eoleo asked, and she nodded._

_ "Sure," She said, turning toward the door. "You know…" She whispered, as she grasped the handle. "It's not that you two can't be close, it's just… no funny business, right?" _

_ "Exactly," Eoleo replied, annoyed that any funny business had occurred in the first place._

_ "Alright, I'll go speak with her… see you later Eoleo," Karis replied, opening and shutting the door behind her. She sighed as she began to walk to her room; why had she run her mouth? Her crush on Garet had been completely ridiculous to begin with. It was really just her wanting to be with a more mature Tyrell. _

_ Thankfully, she had gotten over it, and… sadly was still crushing on a completely immature buffoon who, no matter how hard she tried, she could not help but find hilarious and charming. She smiled as she opened the door, and viewed Himi sitting on her bed._

* * *

><p><em> Himi had spent the last few minutes deeply contemplating her relationship with Eoleo. Obviously, he was around thirty, and she was only fourteen, so up until today, she had never even considered… just the nature of her having feelings of that nature for him were preposterous. But, she couldn't deny that she held feelings for him that she had never felt for anyone else.<em>

_ Whenever he smiled at her, she felt her heart leap a little in her chest, and nothing made her grin wider than when he rubbed her head. She also loved how fiery and passionate he was… in a life filled with order and stoicism, such a breath of life and rashness was oh so refreshing. Eoleo was like no one else she had ever met in that regard; yes, he was audacious at times, but it always seemed to be calculated. _

_ She also couldn't deny that he was kind of handsome, if in a gruff way. She giggled at that thought, just as she realized Karis had walked into the room. _

_ "Oh! Karis… how was your… talk with Eoleo?" Himi asked cautiously, but was relieved to see a smile on Karis's face. _

_ "Oh, don't worry; everything's fine," The older girl replied with a calming wave of her hand. "I was wondering if you'd like to… talk at all, though?"_

_ "A-Actually, I would," Himi said, racking her brains on how to ask Karis about her feelings without making it clear that she was discussing Eoleo. "It's about a boy."_

* * *

><p><em> "Well, that went to hell…" Eoleo said with a sigh, lifting himself from his bed and beginning to change into new clothing. "Do I… do I really?" He murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. Eoleo had to admit, he had never really felt the feelings he had for Himi before. <em>

_ While at first thought that made sense, as she was young and it was possible he felt some kind of pseudo-fatherly feelings toward her, he had been involved in many such relationships with the children of Champa, looking out for them and teaching them how to become sailors… or in some cases pirates, and had never felt this way for any of them._

_ With Himi, it was different. He had grown to accept that any relationship he had with a woman would involve said woman constantly bemoaning his worse qualities. Himi, though, seemed to actually like most of his traits, and when she criticized him it was less judgmental and more caring. It was an odd feeling, having someone truly… caring for him. Most people got turned off by his large exterior or the fact that he was a notorious pirate. Any girl he had ever been with had been purely pleasure-based or failed attempts at a stable relationship._

_ She was fourteen though, which was the problem, and an unavoidable one. It's not like the age difference would get much better over time, either. And hell, he was probably getting ahead of himself; all of this was conjecture, and while he was certainly fond of Himi, perhaps the incident with the bed had led him to over-react. _

_ "Ugh," He muttered as he made his way toward the door. He needed to sort this out, and he knew who to go to. If there was anyone on the ship to ask about any kind of trouble, it was Matthew. That kid had a good head on his shoulders, and Eoleo certainly needed some advice at this point. _

_ As such, he made his way around the ship, searching for the young Venus Adept. He eventually found him sitting in the main cabin, speaking with Kraden, no doubt about the Umbra Gear and what the Apollo Lens may be like. _

_ "Er… I can see you're busy, but—" Eoleo began, before being interrupted by the sage._

_ "Ah, no need, Eoleo!" Kraden responded with a smile. "Matthew and I are done, and he is free from your conversation, unless you wish to speak with me?" Eoleo smiled, and shook his head, and Kraden laughed. "I figured as much. Well, I shall be in, where else, my study." Matthew stared as the old man walked away, a thin smile on his face; it seemed, like father like son, he had taken quite the liking to the old sage._

_ "So… what is it Eoleo?" Matthew asked solemnly, and Eoleo smiled nervously, the actuality about what he was going to do finally hitting him._

_ "I need relationship advice," The pirate stated bluntly, causing Matthew to raise an eyebrow in surprise._

_ "Er… I'm not sure I'm the best qualified to—"_

_ "Better than Rief, unless I wanted Anatomy, Tyrell, DEFINITELY Amiti, and asking Kraden about this subject would just be awkward," Eoleo replied quickly, causing Matthew to wince. "Besides… I am lending you my ship after all."_

_ Matthew gave his a surprised look, replying, "Wow, this must be important… this is the first time you actually brought up the debt we owe you with the ship. I guess… if you want it to be me it's fine. Let's talk in your room, alright?" Eoleo nodded, and they slowly made their way back to the pirate's cabin._

* * *

><p><em> "Ah," Karis replied, the conversation heading in the direction she had been planning on taking it in the first place. "If you don't mind me asking, who?"<em>

_ "…It's complicated," Himi whispered, quickly trying to piece together what she wanted to say, and how to keep it from seeming like she had feelings for Eoleo. "Obviously, it's someone on the ship… I'd rather not say names. But, obviously, they're also older than me, as all of you are. He's very… rash, and slightly obnoxious sometimes. My issues are the age difference and the fact that he… might have feelings for another girl." The latter was a slight lie, as she had no idea if it was true, but she had to keep Karis somewhat in the dark._

_ Karis frowned… she could be talking about Eoleo, but rather than ask more leading questions, she was just going to get to the heart of the matter. "Is it Eoleo?"_

_ Himi hesitated, then shook her head. "No," She lied, preparing for Karis to question the validity of her statement. "I see him more like a father figure… you know?"To Himi's surprise, Karis seemed to buy it, and bit her lip. _

_ "I'm sorry Himi, I legitimately thought it was him," The older girl said, her head racing. What if Himi had feelings for Tyrell? The other Mars Adept fit her description to a fault, and she could certainly understand the concept of being attracted to him… considering she was herself. "So… um… do you think it might work out? And do you know what girl he likes?" Karis asked with a slight blush, and Himi tilted her head._

_ Why was Karis acting so odd? The truth came to Himi suddenly, and she cursed. Of course, Karis thought she was talking about Tyrell! "I-It's not who you're thinking of," Himi replied hastily. Karis gave her a relieved but still confused look, and the Venus Adept sighed. "Fine… I lied, it was Eoleo. I just… you know, it's a completely awkward situation."_

_ Karis breathed out a sigh of relief, before coughing and composing herself. "Oh, okay. I understand why you might be… hesitant. That is definitely awkward."_

_ "Karis, I just wanted to let you know that… I didn't really think I had feelings for him or anything like that until, you know, today," Himi said quietly, blushing heavily. "When I slept in his bed… it wasn't like that. I was just tired, and he was comfy. I wasn't… you know…"_

_ "Oh, of course Himi!" Karis responded, realizing what her friend meant and rubbing her shoulder. "I know you were just being innocent about the whole thing."_

_ "Yes. I'm glad you understand that." Himi said, but then sighed once more. "But… what do I do?" Himi asked with a frown._

_ "Well, obviously dating him or anything like that is out of the question," Karis replied, and Himi nodded._

_ "I just… I'm not ever sure that's exactly how I feel about him," Himi said in return, playing with her pigtail as she spoke. "Until today, he was just Eoleo, and how I felt for him didn't really matter, or I didn't think of it in these terms. It's so much more complicated now, the idea that I could have an attraction toward a man so much older than me." Himi turned to Karis and gave her a pleading look. "Karis, what does attraction towards a man feel like? Like, how does Tyrell make you feel?"_

_ Karis did her best to ignore Himi's blunt statement of her feelings for Tyrell, and said soothingly, "Well… it's a feeling I don't get with anyone else. I mean, everyone you meet makes you feel different, but this is more pronounced. You always want to be around them, and want to make them happy. Sometimes you even care about their happiness more than your own. You do things for them you wouldn't do for anyone else, and you… you just know."_

_ Himi smiled; Karis's face had taken a dreamy look to it as she had described the feeling of love. "It's so sweet, you and Tyrell," Himi teased lightly, drawing another blush on Karis's face._

_ "N-No, come on Himi, he doesn't even know I feel that way…" Karis whispered._

_ "That may be so, but he feels that way for you," Himi said with a smile, causing Karis's eyes to widen. "He told me so when he helped me make the charm."_

_ "…Oh. Well, good," Karis whispered, clearly enthralled and thrilled by this new information but also trying to refrain from showing her satisfaction too much. "But, we're talking about you now. So, do you think you do feel that way for Eoleo?"_

_ Himi nodded, and sighed. "Which I would not mind, if it wasn't for the age difference. I certainly have feelings for him, but… what do I do? I know I can't act on them, but what if I make things awkward accidentally?"_

_ Karis shrugged, her gaze still somewhat hazy. "I mean… I'd just try to forget about it. You two seem to be fine as is, and I know Eoleo is going to be more cautious so that awkward situations like that don't pop up. He promised me he would, so you should just pretend that nothing has changed."_

_ "Okay," Himi replied, imagining that would be easier said than done, but holding her tongue. "Um… so, you talked to him about me? Do, you think that he… returns my feelings?" In a way, she hoped he didn't; though, she supposed either way he would feel awkward about discovering she had feelings for him._

_ "Uh…" Kars replied slowly, thinking back to Eoleo's hesitancy to give a straight answer. "I'm not sure, to be frank." It was an honest answer, even though she believed the true answer to be yes. "Either way, just… just try to resist them. You're too young."_

_ "I know," Himi said firmly. "I think you and Tyrell should still try to work something out, though." Karis's groan drew a smile to Himi's lips, and took her mind off Eoleo and the night before… at least, a little bit._

* * *

><p><em> "So, I've developed feelings for a girl," Eoleo began earnestly; he was confident he could get advice out of Matthew without divulging exactly who he was speaking of. "On the ship."<em>

_ "Oh… alright…" Matthew responded wearily._

_ "I can tell from the look on your face that you're still not sure why I wanted to talk to you about it specifically," Eoleo said with a grin, and Matthew sighed._

_ "Yeah, you could say that. I'm not great with… girls, honestly," He said with a sigh. "Anyway, who?"_

_ "I'd rather not say," Eoleo replied straightly, before clearing his throat. "My issue is that there's a big of an age difference, and I don't quite know how to stop anything from happening. I'd like to assume she doesn't have any feelings for me, but I can't be sure. She… is pretty shy, so I'm unsure as to whether or not she'd bring it up, but I'd like to find a way to not let it get to that point. She has enough on her plate already, if you get my drift. There are a few other reasons, but, you know…"_

_ Matthew couldn't help but mentally piece together what Eoleo was saying, and the result that he came to made his brain go into a flurry of activity. Could he be talking about Sveta? All of those descriptions fit the beastgirl… he wondered though, what he meant by other reasons. Unless… Eoleo meant that he had feelings for Sveta himself. _

_ Which was the truth, but conversely Eoleo and Sveta having feelings for each other made a lot of sense. They could have bonded while he was in Morgal's captivity. What if he was getting in the way of them?_

_ "Eoleo," Matthew began tensely. "Listen… I don't think the age is that big of a deal, and it's something you both could work out. I didn't realize… that you two were so close." Eoleo raised an eyebrow; it seemed like Matthew had pieced together he was talking about Himi, but he was surprised the Venus Adept was advising him to try to go for a relationship. "Whatever you do, don't hesitate for my sake. I should have seen your feelings, and to be honest I feel like I'm butting in a little…"_

_ "Er, Matt?" Eoleo asked, and Matthew nodded. "…Since when do you have feelings for Himi?" There was a stiff ten seconds of silence where Matthew's mind slowly took in the statement, his mouth growing wider as he realized what had just happened._

_ "Oh, crap. I thought you meant—"_

_ "Sveta," Eoleo interrupted, nodding. "Completely understandable, I should have seen that coming. Too many parallels. Anyway, what the hell do I do?"_

_ "Well… why has this become an issue?" Matthew asked. "I mean, you two seem fine around each other, not too awkward…"_

_ "She ended up sleeping in my bed last night." Eoleo said flatly. "Nothing romantic happened," Eoleo continued as Matthew opened his mouth to as what else had occurred. "But Karis found out about it, and Himi no doubt now feels awkward about it in retrospect, and I don't know what to do."_

_ "…You sure you have feelings for her?" Matthew asked, and Eoleo chuckled._

_ "I've been with enough women to detect when I have feelings for a girl, Matthew," The pirate responded with a sigh. "But, for obvious reasons, this instance just feels awkward, and can't work out."_

_ "Well, not now," Matthew replied. "But even though she seems so young now, it's only about four years till she's eighteen… that's not long." _

_ "Four years I don't know I'm going to have," Eoleo replied bluntly, casting his eyes towards the direction of the Grave Eclipse. "I'm not making any future plans, let's put it that way. I'd advise you to do the same… and possibly make what time you could have with Sveta count, if you get my meaning."_

_ "…I'll try," Matthew said nervously, having hoped this subject would not be touched upon. "I suggest you don't… you know… try to avoid her or anything like that. While there may be some obvious tension at first, it's clear you both care about each other. Even if there can't be a relationship, you two should still be friends, and there's nothing wrong with being… closer friends than usual." _

_ The young man paused and bit his lip. "I'm starting to understand where you're coming from. How far can you go without it being more than a deep friendship? And is that wrong? I mean, if you two pretty much did everything but… anything romantic, it wouldn't be that bad, would it?"_

_ "I just don't want to make a sweet friendship with a young and innocent girl into a gigantic mess," Eoleo replied with a groan. _

_ "I trust that you can do that," Matthew replied with a steadying smile, holding out his hand. Eoleo grasped it, squeezing tightly._

_ "Thanks for that; I could use some trust." The Champan stood up, and stretched. "Well, I think I'll go find the little lady and start damage control as it were. Maybe eat breakfast with her or just… do something normal."_

_ "Sounds good," Matthew replied, rising as well. "I'll… uh… I'll probably go see how Sveta's doing."_

_ "That a boy!" Eoleo cheered, slapping Matthew on the ass and making the young Adept wish he had said nothing at all. They turned their separate ways, Matthew walking toward the stairs as he was fairly sure that Sveta was above deck (…having asked her to meet him there earlier), while Eoleo turned toward the hallway leading towards the girls' room._

* * *

><p><em> "Hey, Sveta… mind if I talk to you for a sec?" Matthew asked as he approached the young beastgirl, who was staring out into the sea. <em>

_ "Not at all; I suspected we would speak to each other when you asked me to join you up here," She replied with a mischievous smile. _

_ Matthew gulped. He was already making a fool out of himself, and he hadn't even gotten to the embarrassing part. "Er… I… You see…" He sputtered, scratching his head as he lost a grip on all remnants of the English language. There was a reason he had kept quiet about his feelings for her, and while Eoleo was right in that he needed to display them, that fact didn't make doing so any easier._

_ "…Not particularly," She replied slightly worriedly. He was acting very strangely after all._

_ "You know the old saying actions speak louder than words?" He forced out, and she nodded. Without thinking, he pulled her head into his hands and quickly kissed her on the lips. "W-Well?" He panted after he jumped back, leaving Sveta's eyes wide and her hand touching her own cheek._

_ "…" Sveta's lips smacked into his, and Matthew felt her arms tightly embrace him as well. He sighed inwardly as he returned the motion; he was really thankful that worked. Sweet Venus he had always been awful with words, but he could get on fine with action._

* * *

><p><em> "Oh, Himi!" Eoleo said as the young girl emerged from her room. She glanced at him and smiled, albeit a little awkwardly.<em>

_ "Hello, Eoleo… I wanted to apologi—"_

_ "Aw, no need!" Eoleo interrupted, rubbing her head. "Let's just put it behind us. I was wondering if you have gotten breakfast yet?"_

_ "…Alright," Himi replied with some relief in her voice. "No, I have not, and I would like to. Karis, would you like to join us?" _

_ The Jupiter Adept, who had been in the room, walked out, and glanced between the two, a smile on her face. "No, I already ate. You two will be fine without me?" She gave a knowing glance to both of the Adepts. Himi averted her eyes, but Eoleo showed no change, besides the tiniest of blushes on his tan cheeks. _

_ "Just peachy; well, we shall see you later!" Eoleo replied with a quick nod, patting Himi on the head once more and beginning to walk down the hallway. Himi turned to do so as well, before stopping, and giving Karis a wink while giggling and pointing down the end of the hall. As Himi began to move away, Karis turned to see Tyrell walking toward her._

_ "Hey, Karis… you look really pretty today," The Mars Adept said with a brash grin, causing her to blush. She wasn't sure if she should hit him or thank him, judging by his tone. As she prepared to do the prior, she remember Himi's words, and frowned._

_ "Well you look incredibly handsome," She replied boldly, crossing her arms as if to dare him to defy the statement. It was true, after all; the Mars Adept looked quite dashing today. Not like he didn't most days (those being the days that he showered… not a fan of water, that one, understandably). _

_ "I try," He replied, the smile still across his face. "But I think you look nicer."_

_ "O-Oh please, for the love of…" Karis muttered under her breath, her pale cheeks flushed._

_ "I'm going to get breakfast, if you want to come," Tyrell said, clearly happy that he had gotten her to blush and sutter. _

_ "…You haven't eaten already?" She asked, amazed that he had made in this late in the morning with no food._

_ "Oh, hell naw! This is second breakfast!" Tyrell replied with gusto, and Karis couldn't help but giggle. _

_ "Well… sure, I'm not hungry, but I guess I could… watch?" She said, jogging up so she was next to him. She looked into his eyes and smiled. _

_ "C-Cool," Tyrell replied with a slight stutter; it was hard to play it cool when she made his body feel so damn hot. _

_ "…You've got a little something on your face," Karis lied, smiling flirtatiously. "A little egg… here…" She leaned forward, pecking him on his cheek._

_ "O-Oh, gee, thanks," Tyrell said, mentally berating himself for using the word "gee". "Is it gone?"_

_ "Almost," She said with a smile, pecking him once more, her lips lingering a bit longer this time._

_ "…Now?" Tyrell whispered, hoping the answer was no. _

_ "Yep! It's gone!" Karis said cheerily, before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek a third time._

_ "And that was for…?" Tyrell asked with a still nervous but amused grin. She blushed as she rubbed her arm before punching him lightly in the shoulder._

_ "You know what that was for," She replied happily, lacing her fingers in his hand. _

_ "Fair enough," Tyrell replied as they began to walk, his entire so tingly he felt like he was on fire. When they reached the door to the galley, he halted, and turned to her. "Hey… Karis, you've got something on your lips," He whispered, leaning into her. _

_ She leaned closer too, closing her eyes as she whispered, "Liar." Sparks flew, and Tyrell seemed to find that, at least for one day, second breakfast would not be required and be replaced with something much more filling._

* * *

><p>"PIRATES!" Came a shot from outside the shop, causing Himi to whip her head around. She had been just about to describe the breakfast she had eaten with Eoleo. Kati so far had been a good listener, and surprisingly un-judgmental of both her feelings for Eoleo and the pirate himself.<p>

"…It couldn't be…" She whispered, and Kati smiled.

"Hey, maybe I was right after all!" The young man said, and Himi frowned. The chances were slim, so slim she…

"IT'S EOLEO! THE SCOURGE OF THE EASTERN SEA! HE'S AT THE PALACE!" Came another shout from the same man, and Himi immediately shot up off the ground.

"Kati, please excuse me, but I must—"

"Completely understandable," Kati replied with a grin. "The story was interesting too. Uh… you might want to get there before Susa—"

"I know," She said shortly, dashing out of the shop without another word. While she still was forced to wear ridiculous ceremonial garbs, at least she had been allowed to tailor them herself; as such, she had made them perfect for quick athletic movement.

Even with that, though, she prayed that she would get to the palace before anything terrible occurred. She raced through the street, images of the past and the future flashing through her mind, the Third Eye dimly humming all the while on her forehead. This was turning into quite an interesting birthday.

* * *

><p><em>Done. Done. Done. Done. I've detected the issue with the schedule; the issue is that I've started making all the chapters twice as long as they should be. I don't even know how this one is so long; it doesn't seem that long to me. But sure enough, it's huge.<em>

_Since (for obvious reasons), Eoleo and Himi don't get much romance until later on, a few other ships got to shine briefly here. I don't do enough Spark, and Spirit is always ridiculously adorable to write._

_I have a ton of issues with this chapter, from the dialogue to the pacing to the everything, but I can't delay it any longer and I've gone through it twice. It's time for the posting._

_I like Kati; he's an interesting character next to Himi, as she is so much more firm and direct than he is. Do Eoleo and Himi's conflicts make sense in this chapter? I worried about that. I also worried that said other ships felt too tacked on, even though I tried to work hard to avoid that._

_It bears repeating that the flashback isn't Himi retelling the story, but a legitimate window into the past; they all coincide with the character's thinking back to a specific moment within these windows, but they branch out beyond these characters. If that makes any sense._

_The next chapter should be some good ole' fashioned two guys yelling at each other. MY FAVORITE! Also, in terms of my badly wrecked update schedule, here's what to expect; Thursday MTJATE (6,000 words or under, I'm going to have to split it), A Gentler Steam on Friday or Saturday (6,000 words or under), and LoV on Sunday (4,000 words or around there). It's going to kill me to hit that schedule, but it needs to be done, so I'm going to do it._

_Uh, yeah. So, next update for this in about a week, I guess :P . Thanks for reading!_


	5. Storming

_Ohhhhh nooooo! But seriously, that was a really, really, really unacceptable absence. If I had to explain my lack of posting, first I would say I lost motivation, then I would say I've been sick and exhausted, then I would say I've been trying to keep up with college, and finally I would say DIABLO 2 IS A WONDERFUL GAME._

_Also, I could not figure out how I wanted the flashback in this chapter to go. I had an original idea (a picnic) that got used in Just Friends, so then I wanted to come up with something else, but that's where I ran into trouble. I have the present tense storyline mapped out a lot better than the past tense storyline, truth be told. So, I put forth a few ideas that will get used later, but right now I obviously chose this one._

_More ramblings after the chapter._

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Storming<p>

"Leave us," Susa commanded immediately, drawing coughs from the two guards who had escorted Eoleo in.

"…Sir, he's dangerous—" One of them began, but was quickly silenced by the king's hand. Eoleo felt his stomach sink; Susa seemed in a bad way, and that was an understatement. The king looked positively livid with rage.

"I am well aware of who he is, and what he is capable of. Leave us." Susa stared the guard down until he gulped and nodded, flashing a look at his partner before turning and exiting the throne room.

"Your, um, palace is very beautiful. I've been here before, but I greatly appreciate the oriental themes and use of… color," Eoleo said, kicking himself for every mistake within the sentence. Being flattering wasn't exactly a known attribute of pirates. He had hoped to warm Susa up to his presence by showing that he had visited Yamata once without incident, but stating this fact only seemed to make the king bitter.

"…You have seen it before, haven't you? If I had know what stood before me then…" Susa whispered, more to himself than Eoleo. "But those were desperate times. The world was at stake, and rather than being accompanied by filth the likes of the men you sent into my city, you traveled with the honorable children of the Warriors of Vale." Eoleo fought boldly to restrain his tongue, which desperately wanted to swear the man in front of it out at the moment.

"But now," Susa continued, still eyeing the Mars Adept with disgust, "the world is safe, for the most part, and as such it is beyond me why someone such as yourself would come to our city in your great ship and threaten the peace. They tell me you're NOT here to pillage us (Susa snorted as he said this), so I'd really like to know: WHY are you here?"

"I have an answer," Eoleo replied, putting aside any of his pride and bowing lowly. As sick as it made him, Susa seemed more at ease after the motion, and Eoleo continued. "To begin with, my people, under my leadership, have strived to renounce are prior ways of living; that way of living being piracy. In the last two years, we have not plundered or stolen from anyone, at least in the sense that Champa as a whole has not pirated. It is possible that members and former members of our town have still decided to rob the high seas, but I have done everything in my power to stop this, and would ask you to not think of them as Champan. I understand that you must be hesitant in believing me, but I urge you to at least give us a chance."

Susa placed his hands in front of his face in a pensive position, clearly mulling over the (former) pirate's words. After a minute, the king said, "Forgive me if I am still wary of your proclamation; the pirates of Champa have been notorious well before I came to rule. Still… truth rings to your story. Especially considering the fact that I have heard of no acts of piracy in the last two years. As such, I am inclined to believe you."

Eoleo let out a sigh of relief as Susa placed his hands in his lap, and narrowed his eyes. "But, that does not really answer my question; why are you here? Was it to personally deliver this envoy? You might have sent a letter stating you were coming, rather than rouse half of my army."

Eoleo grimaced, mentally cursing himself. He sure had done a good job with the surprise; yeah, what a great idea. "On that note," the Mars Adept began, "I really should have. You see… Himi and I have kept in touch over the last few years." He stopped speaking as Susa sighed mightily. "…Sir?" Eoleo questioned, and the king shook his head.

"My daughter just loves to be different…" The older man replied. "Takeru is so calm, so obedient, but Himi? No, sends mail to pirates—no offense," Susa added without much sincerity, and shrugged. Eoleo frowned; yep, there were definitely some parent/child trust and freedom issues going on here. Just dandy.

"None taken," Eoleo lied through this teeth. "So, I thought I would stop in and surprise her for her birthday… as I know the eighteenth year of one's life is a great occasion in Yamata. Sadly, I really didn't think it through, and…"

"You can say that again!" Susa shouted, jumping out of his throne. "I mean, yes, I wouldn't have been thrilled to know you were coming, but at least I could have asked Himi about it, and I wouldn't have thought I was being INVADED!"

Eoleo winced… Susa definitely raised a valid point. Causing the fear of a mass invasion of pirates to spread through Yamata on Himi's birthday had most certainly not been his intent. "S-Sorry…" He sputtered out weakly, staring at his feet.

"You should be!" Susa shouted, continuing his berating. "I was out of my mind with worry… the years have not been easy on us, after all… my wife, Kushinada, is due to return from her most recent trip soon, one to Sana I did NOT want her to take, while my son, Takeru, has still not returned."

"…Himi mentioned that," Eoleo replied, in an attempted show of understanding. "I know how hard it is to have your family members roaming around the world, with you being unable to help them or contact them…" Eoleo trailed off, his head hanging low once again. He felt tears blur into his eyes, but he blinked them away; now was not the time for them to fall.

Susa seemed incredibly uncomfortable at this statement, and when he spoke his voice was considerably softer. "I… knew of Briggs, but not the man himself. He… terrori—sailed the seas in a negligent manner, but he certainly gave a lot to Champa, and… I know how hard it is to lose a loved one."

"Uzume," Eoleo replied instantly, nodding. He had to resist the urge to chuckle at Susa's struggle to say something positive about his father. At least the king was trying.

"…So, you got to know Himi well during her time traveling to stop the Eclipse, then?" Susa asked, trying to change the subject.

"Er, yeah… we were the last two to join the party, and we became pretty close," Eoleo replied, unsure of how much info he wanted to give the king. Even if Susa was no longer regarding him as scum, the Yamatain probably didn't want to hear that the former-pirate had ended up sleeping in the same bed as his daughter. That would go over reeeeal well.

"Ah. Trials and tribulations of combat, I suppose? She mentioned you taught her some basics of sailing… although at the time she was too young to actually work on deck, I'd assume," Susa mused, sending mental images of Himi vigorously pulling on ropes and speeding around the deck like a demon through Eoleo's mind. It had been hilarious to watch at the time, but everyone had given her credit; she had gotten the job done when needed.

"Er, yeah, she didn't do much on the deck," Eoleo lied through his teeth. "We also tried to keep her somewhat off the front line, to protect her. Didn't stop her from getting a few whacks in with her staff, and after she finally got her hands on one, sword. But yeah, we spent a lot of time talking and whatnot."

Susa's face, after wrinkling several times at Eoleo's description of Himi fighting, relaxed, and he sighed. "Such a stubborn girl. Takes after me I guess, but still… I'd like to think I've mellowed out with old age."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Eoleo said with nodding, and then quickly realized he had not known Susa as a young man. "I mean… you seem very mellow. Calm. And you're not that old." Eoleo was regretting coming to Yamata more with every passing second. Talking to Susa was like constantly balancing on a pillar in a great gust of wind; just when he thought he had found a good place to rest, he nearly fell off.

"…Right," Susa replied, the conversation clearly starting to wear on him as well. "What did you talk about with her?"

"Oh, you know…" Eoleo began, trying to recall past conversations with Himi. "We talked a lot about the quest… described our lives… we spent a lot of time talking about the Third Eye. They were always pleasant conversations. I tried not to swear."

Susa, his face deadpan, clapped slowly at the last point, and Eoleo winced. "Sounds fine," The king muttered, and Eoleo sighed.

"Okay, I'm not trying to be rude, but it's clear that you don't like me, and while I don't dislike you, I don't like that you don't like me," Eoleo said bluntly, tired of the bullshit pleasantries. He had put his best foot forward; time to trip like a pirate dancing when tanked on rum.

"Oh, come on, you don't like me either, don't pull that card," Susa growled, rolling his eyes. "I know you're trying to be polite, and I appreciate that, but it's clear we both detest each other. If you want to drop the nice-nice, feel free, but keep it decent."

"Alright… I was just confused as to why on Weyard we were having so much small talk," Eoleo replied, shaking his head. "I mean… yeah."

"…You probably won't like the answer," Susa said, unease present across his face. "To be honest, I was kind of… measuring you up. I had heard good things about you — well, as good of what you can hear about a pirate – and wanted to see if I trusted you. You see… I'm kind of an overprotective parent."

"I had a slight feeling," Eoleo replied, trying to keep his voice straight and not lined with sarcasm. "My mother is like that… always worrying about me, always complaining when I get a new scar."

"Yes, well," Susa continued, clearing his throat. "I was trying to gauge if I trusted you enough to inform Himi of your presence, and allow you to stay for her birthday. But, I'm afraid there's more to it than that… regardless of if you have given up piracy, you are wanted by the entire Eastern Sea, and based on numerous treaties I am supposed to either capture you or execute you on sight. Obviously, both of these situations aren't pleasant."

"Because by this point Himi will undoubtedly find out I was here and expect to see me," Eoleo said, picking up Susa's train of thought. "And if you do turn me in or kick me out… or kill me, she will get angry with you. And you will piss off an entire city of… er… battle-ready sailors."

"Needless to say, any of that is bad for one of us or both of us combined," Susa replied, sighing. "If I had my way, you would have no right to go anywhere near my daughter. You are much too dangerous, too terrible of an influence, and exactly what she DOESN'T need in her life. Honestly, I think you already rubbed off on her enough; I long wondered what got into her after that Gods-forsaken quest, and as you stand before me it makes that YOU made her crave 'freedom' and 'adventure'. Pweh!" Susa spit onto the ground, showing what he thought of both of them.

"…Are you serious? Himi's so mild-mannered," Eoleo replied thoughtfully. "And, I mean… what's wrong with a little freedom? She's turning eighteen today. She needs to be able to do what she wishes."

"…Are you implying that you know more about my daughter and how she should act than I?" Susa seethed, vivid rage burning in his eyes. Eoleo, who had done all he could this entire mess of a conversation to not lose his cool, slowly felt his blood heating up.

"Himi should act however she sees fit, she's incredibly intelligent, kind, and able to take care of herself," Eoleo retorted quietly and politely, though his distaste clearly shown through.

"She is young and foolish! And needs to be taught respect! Much like you!" Susa raged, rising from his throne, his hand reaching towards the sword that laid next to it.

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Eoleo shouted, despite how enraged he was himself. "Nothing good will come out of us shouting at each other. Let's just take deep breaths, and—"

"No! I'm done! Get out of my city! You and all of your damned pirates!" Susa shouted, his sword now drawn. "Lest you want me to MAKE you!"

"…I… wait, lets… we can…" Eoleo blabbered, quickly realizing Susa didn't seem to have any intention of calming down. Then again, he had been in worse situations before. Hopefully this time he would be as lucky as he had been in the past.

* * *

><p><em>She didn't even see the fire fly through the air. Himi had been too busy, too enthralled in protecting Karis, who even now remained on one leg, slowly healing a deep wound while swearing under her breath. No, Himi didn't see the fire fly through the air. But she did hear it, and the sound alone caused her heart to tremble.<em>

_ It was so surreal, to turn and see Eoleo lying face down on the ground. Karis's hand tending her wound fell limp with shock, and the rest of the party reacted in a similar manner. Wide eyes, an absolute lack of breathing, fear and uncertainty hanging everywhere in the air. All save Tyrell, who upon seeing his elemental brethren fall, turned back to the Hydra that had sent the blast, and roared tremendously before unleashing brutal punishment with his axe. _

_ Ten seconds later, as the dead beast disintegrated, no one else had moved. Somewhere in her head, Himi knew she had to heal him. That she should be rushing to his side, not blindly staring at him as he lied on the ground, still smoking. However, elsewhere in her head she knew something that over-rode the other thought. That Eoleo was dead, and no amount of revives were going to bring him back._

_ Still, she lurched over silently after a few more moments. Himi just couldn't take the deathly silence; even if the alternative was starting into eyes of glass. That's what she expected when tried to turn him over, experiencing some surprise as to how easily she was able to move him as she did so. The reason for this ease was revealed as his body crumpled onto its back. _

_ It was a corpse now though, as where the lovable Champan's face once had been was simply a blackened crater, the same being for most of his chest. Himi's eyes blinked twice as her entire body seemed to grow numb. The gasps and screams of terror around her seemed miles away, as one of her own slowly crept up her throat until—_

* * *

><p><em> "NOO!" Himi shrieked, sitting up in her bed and panting heavily. As she realized what had happened, she began to try to calm herself, but the effects were anything but immediate. Her nightmares had grown so vivid, so realistic, so menacing, that often times she wondered whether or not she was dreaming in the middle of the day. <em>

_ As such, they had a terribly lasting effect on her; especially the ones with Eoleo. And as it turned out, they had become the most common… night after night, he died. But never like this. Never so bluntly and completely. Never so harshly. No matter how real her nightmares had been before, never had they been this completely grounded in actuality. And that scared her so, so much. Because, with the Third Eye, she never knew what was a possible future, and what was simply a nightmare. _

_ Five more minutes past, doing little to relieve her rapid heartbeat or the cold sweat covering her entire body. However, even as her body continued to tremble, she grew more coherent and alert, and realized that, based on the light pouring in through her window, it was day. And, by the looks of it, she had slept in a great deal. _

_ Deciding that getting on with the day would be better than waiting for her fear to disappear, Himi got out of her bed, and quickly changed into new clothes. Still feeling less than okay, she sighed as she pushed open her door. Deciding to forgo breakfast (she doubted her stomach could handle it anyway), she made her way to the deck, where she found Eoleo belting out orders at a rapid pace._

_ "What's going on, Eol?" She asked concernedly, and the busy Champan double-took in her direction, looking at his eye level the first take and as such missing her short frame. _

_ He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly turned in the opposite direction and bellowed, "SECURE THAT LINE!" In that brief moment, a large gust slammed into Himi, causing her to stumble, and she quickly came to the conclusion that the weather was not very nice today. Little did she know that would turn out to be a massive understatement. _

_ The sky was fairly darkish gray, and rain poured down steadily from above. The wind was very present as well, causing her robes to flutter around her legs. Eoleo turned back to her then, and shouted, "Himi! Get below! We've running into a typhoon!" _

_ "Why is Tyrell running?" Himi shouted back, mishearing him, her voice instantly being swallowed by the wind. In the few seconds she had been on the deck, the weather had already begun to grow worse and worse. _

_ Rolling his eyes, Eoleo grabbed the young girl by the shoulder and quickly ducked inside the ship with her in tow. "It's a typhoon! You should stay down here, we'll be able to weather it soon," Eoleo explained, on his knees so that they were at eye-level._

_ "…What's a typhoon?" Himi asked innocently, and Eoleo groaned. He needed to get back on deck, and pronto. It made sense that Himi had no idea what a typhoon was, and while he obviously, being a sailor, did, he wasn't exactly a walking dictionary. _

_ "It's pretty much a ton of wind and rain," He said after a brief pause. "I know that doesn't sound very bad, but they're actually terrifying and very destructive."_

_ "Oh… then you should get back up on deck. I'm sorry I bothered you, I just…" Himi trailed off, feeling slightly foolish. Eoleo swallowed, realizing she was taking his urgency as annoyance at her lack of knowledge. _

_ "You're right, I need to. But don't feel bad!" Eoleo replied, rubbing her head. She smiled, even as his damp hands drenched her hair even more. "You were just concerned, and I wouldn't expect you have run into a typhoon before."_

_ Himi nodded, her face brightening slightly as she realized he wasn't angry at all. "Eoleo? Is there anything I could do to help?" Himi asked cautiously, and Eoleo frowned. _

_ Truth be told, he probably could use a few more hands above deck, and the rest of the party (minus a slightly under the weather Sveta, and Rief and Matthew who were attending to her) were providing assistance. Still, he hesitated; Himi was quite thin, and the wind was quite harsh… images of her getting flung off the boat made Eoleo quite set on the idea of telling her to stay below deck._

_ But, while she hadn't truly said it aloud to him yet, Eoleo had been able to discern that Himi was very self-conscious as to how people considered her frail, and she would no doubt see it as a slight if he didn't allow her to put in her fair share. Well, maybe not a slight, but she would certainly he disappointed. He cursed as he realized he was taking much too long to decide. _

_ He looked back at Himi, whose eyes were fairly steady, but hid longing underneath. Eoleo sighed, and said, "Yes, you can help above deck. Just be careful for me, alright?"_

_ "Of course!" Himi responded brightly, hugging him quickly and then dashing back up the stairs. Eoleo, as he stared after her, could have sworn that as she had parted from him, she had pecked him slightly on the cheek. After another moment of hesitation, Eoleo shrugged it off, and followed her. Of course, the young girl in front of him was blushing heavily, having indeed kissed him quickly and dashed away before the situation could become awkward. _

_ As Eoleo made his way back on deck, he surveyed the scene, and within a second managed to shout out more swear words than Himi had heard uttered in her entire life. The wind and rain seemed to have increased tenfold in their minute long excursion, and even the burliest of sailors on the ship were having trouble keeping their footing. Eoleo had half a mind to pick the young Venus Adept up and throw her back down, but as he turned to glance at her she was nowhere in sight. _

_ Gasping, he looked around wildly, stopping with relief when he realized she had simply been plastered against a barrel, and was now clinging on to it for dear life. Not bothering to speak, he pointed violently to the stairs, but she shook her head in defiance, and closed her eyes before glowing brightly. _

_ Before he could get to her and get her below, rocks spawned on the deck (Eoleo could never get used to how Venus Adept's could just summon their element out of nowhere) and then encased themselves around Himi's feet. Proudly, she stepped away from the barrel, and Eoleo smacked his face. Her ankles were just asking to get broken at this point. But, at any rate, she was safe, and he turned his attentions elsewhere as Himi rushed (more like plodded slowly) to secure lines. _

_ Namely, a streak of green whipping through the wind caught his eye, and he gulped, recognizing it to be Karis's hair. The Jupiter Adept was clinging onto the rope ladder leading up to the crow's nest, but possessed no way to close the distance of ten feet; the wind was too hectic, even for one of the Jupiter Clan._

* * *

><p><em> "…Goddamn wind," Karis seethed as she gripped even tighter onto the rope. She imagined her knuckles must be whiter than bone by this point. She had been so close to reaching the crow's nest, only to be flung around in the sky as the wind picked up. And while dying within her element somewhat appealed to her, it also held some kind of stupid irony to it; one would think that a powerful Jupiter Adept such as herself wouldn't meet her maker because of the very gusts and bellows she had oft summoned. <em>

_ Karis had spent the last few minutes trying to get her free hand onto the ladder so she could climb it, but had no way to move it well. Indeed, much like her body, it swung this way and that and spiraled in the air. Every ten seconds or so she would scrape the ladder, but it was no use. She was simply amazed that she had managed to hold on this long… and was questioning how much longer she would be able to._

* * *

><p><em> "OUT OF MY WAY!" Tyrell bellowed with such ferocity the wind could do little to drown his voice out, nearly knocking Eoleo off the ship as he sprinted toward the rope ladder. Eoleo prepared to swear at the buffoon, but instead dropped his jaw as Tyrell skirted up the ladder like some kind of monkey, pausing for a second halfway to pull Karis into him, and then climbed the rest of the way and flung himself and the Jupiter Adept into the crow's nest. <em>

_ "Well I'll be," Eoleo remarked dumbly, scratching his head. "I owe that son of a bitch some booze for that." _

_ Karis's account of Tyrell's rescue had been a bit more hectic; one moment she had been swerving this way and that like a kite in a windstorm, and the next something grabbed onto the back of her shirt and yanked her ten feet in the air in what felt like a second before slamming her into wood. _

_ She closed her eyes at the impact, and briefly considered if she was dead before opening them and realizing she had, by some miracle, ended up in the crow's nest. She glanced to her side to realize that Tyrell was lying beside her, and quickly pieced together what had happened. The Mars Adept looked utterly exhausted, and was panting heavily._

_ Seeing she was conscious, he tried to sputter something out, but even if it was correct English and not marred by his shortness of breath, the wind stole the words the moment they left his mouth. "What is it?" She whispered, concerned, leaning into him. What if he had hurt himself saving her? He had been so heroic… Karis blushed and she ruffled his spiky hair (even as it slowly began to droop, an amazing feat considering how damn immovable it seemed to be)._

_ He spoke again, but she still couldn't hear, and after biting her lip, lowered herself even more onto him, and pressed her ear against his lips. "What if we don't make it?" You're a pretty kite, by the way." She blushed, and smiled. Leave it to Tyrell to try to flirt with her in a life-or-death situation. _

_ "We'll make it," She whispered in his ear, and he nodded. After a moment past, he coughed, and head bobbed for her to move her ear to his lips again. She did so, and he waited a few moments before speaking. _

_ "I, er, don't want to die a virgin."_

_ Karis blushed madly as she reared back and slapped Tyrell across the face, turning her back to him as she put serious thought to throwing the Mars Adept out of the crow's nest. Before her thoughts could get very far, she hear, however, faint laugher behind her, and whipped her head around to see Tyrell dying with laughter. _

_ Through her blush and anger, she smiled. Then another powerful gust of wind sliced through the air, and she ducked quickly, just barely being thrown off the crow's nest herself. She landed on Tyrell, who gave her a cheesy smile. She rolled her eyes at his luck, but made no motion to stop him as he brought his lips to hers._

* * *

><p><em> Himi struggled to wrap the ropes around the prongs in front of her; while she liked to think she had grown quite adept at sailing and manning different areas of a ship, the truth was she was still quite green to it all, and had never worked in a storm. <em>

_ As such, the young Yamatain tried to block out the dizzying wind, rain, and shouts, and simply focus on tying each rope correctly. She swore as the first few she had tied began to loosen, and quickly went back to them, making sure the knots were as tight as she could make them. _

_ As she finished, she breathed deeply, and turned to check on Eoleo. Unfortunately, this was the exact moment a giant blast of wind shook the ship, and despite her rocks shoes, in the blink of an eye she found herself in midair._

* * *

><p><em> Relieved that Karis and Tyrell were, at least for now, safe, Eoleo quickly moved around the deck, making sure the crew was holding up alright, that the riggings were being secured, and trying to find one of the two navigators on board to figured out how far they were from getting out of the damn typhoon. He nearly ran into Amiti, who was completely still and glowing light blue. <em>

_ Eoleo had been dumbfounded for a moment before realizing that the Mercury Adept was trying to push them out of the storm by literally moving them using the water underneath the ship. Making a mental note to thank the prince later, Eoleo restarted his search for the navigators. However, just as he began to scour the moving bodies on the ship, he heard a light snap from below as the wind picked up. He looked down to see his charm ripped from his neck, and flying off toward his left._

_ Eoleo quickly stretched out his arm, grasping the charm by his fingertips. His relief and elation at saving Himi's gift quickly sunk, as he looked ahead of him; the same wind that had ripped the charm from him had sent Himi's body spiraling into the air. His and her eyes made contact for the briefest of seconds, before her form was lost from his sight. He heard no splash, but the moment she left his vision, he was in motion. _

_ Thinking quickly, the Mars Adept took the rope attacked to the anchor and cut it. Having only time to loosely make a knot around his arm, he dived off the side, praying the rope would hold. He crashed into the icy, roaring water, and immediately lost all of his breath. Not like he had time to breathe; he needed to find Himi as fast as possible. She was wearing rocks on her feet, and that means she was probably sinking, and quickly. _

_ He scanned the rough waters with his eyes, and for a second saw nothing. Then, a small flash of red appeared before being swallowed by the waves, and hoping it was part of her clothing Eoleo plowed through the water and dove. Briggs had been more than insistent that Eoleo learn how to dive and swim, and thankfully the Mars Adept had also taken the time in his youth to grow accustomed to seeing underwater, as painful as it was in the ocean._

_ As such, it took him only a moment to recognize the frail body quickly sinking below him. Eoleo, true desperation flowing through him, shot fire out of his palms; the gambit worked, and propelled him downward, somewhat aided by the heavy sword at his waist. Even so, the heat left the water scalding, and as he jettisoned downward he could barely keep his mouth closed as his arms were severely burned. _

_ He quickly reached her, and fumbled to undo his sword to knock the rocks off of her feet, all the while continuously sinking. After he had it free, unwilling to risk cutting her foot, Eoleo slammed the handle again and again into the rocks. It was slow labor, and he did not have much time; his vision was already beginning to grow foggy. It didn't help that his motions were significantly slowed by the water. _

_ Finally, after what felt like a minute he broke the first rock off; and with a quickly glance above, realized he could no longer see any light. Quickly glancing down, he noticed a crack in the other rock, and on a whim drove the blade into the crack, snapping the stone in half. He felt their descent slow, and blinked as he nearly lost consciousness._

_ Realizing he had no time to sheath his sword, Eoleo grabbed onto Himi tightly, and attempted to breathe in. Mentally swearing as salt water filled his nose, Eoleo shot flames from his feet, and slowly began to rise through the water. How long had he been sinking? He wondered as his ascent grew faster and faster… yet still the surface remained out of sight. _

_ Finally, as he truly felt his lungs screech from depravation of air, he perceived some light from above, and pushed harder. A moment later, Eoleo, Himi held in his arms, shot out of the water like he had been launched from a canon. Not expecting to exit the water in such a manner, the Mars Adept tried to quickly figure out what was happening. He briefly noted he was about to slam into his own ship, and threw his sword forward, hoping to stick into the wood. _

_ Instead, he bounced off, and fell back into the water, his sword still stuck in the ship. He bobbed for a few moments in the ocean, wondering if the end had finally come, when, out of nowhere, solid ground appeared to grow beneath him. "Here… Eol…" He heard as a round mass of rock spontaneously pushed him out of the ocean. He glanced at Himi's smiling face before she quickly lapsed back into unconsciousness. Praying to all the Gods he didn't believe in that she was okay, Eoleo quickly began to send fire into the air, hoping to signal someone on deck that he needed help._

* * *

><p><em> "I'm fine, Matthew," Sveta said for the seventeenth time as the Venus Adept applied yet another Cure, and then began to jog back and forth. Her ears folded down as he ignored her warnings, his panting growing even heavier; he had been at this for a long time now. "Matthew, I understand you want to heal me, even as Rief says nothing can be done, but why are you doing that?" She asked pointedly, and Matthew walked up to her, casting yet another Cure.<em>

_ "Oh, the running?" Matthew asked between breathing, and Sveta nodded. "My Dad used to tell me that if you ran back and forth you'd get your Psynergy back quicker."_

_ "I'd be much more pleased if you rested. It's just a cold," Sveta remarked gently, trying to convince the over-protective Venus Adept that she was fine._

_ Reluctantly, he asked, "Are you sure?" She nodded in response, and he sighed. "Okay. Fine. But I'm not leaving your side," He whispered, gently taking her paw in his hand. She smiled warmly, but flinched as the ship rocked heavily. "Gosh, who is steering?" Matthew said bitterly, and Sveta giggled._

_ She knew what she was getting when she had agreed to be with Matthew, but that didn't make how damn caring he was any less amusing and adorable. On cue, the door burst open, and one of the crew said hurriedly, "We've hit a typhoon! Master Matthew, will you come above deck and give us aid!" _

_ Matthew sent a longing look at Sveta, and Rief, who had given up on keeping Matthew from sending pointless cures into Sveta five minutes ago, groaned. "Matthew, I've been trained to be a healer since I was two; go, they could use you if we're in a storm. It's not like I'm going to make a move on Sveta while you're gone." The Mercury Adept chuckled at the thought, and Sveta shared a giggle as well._

_ Matthew simply narrowed his eyes, and sighed. "I don't see why that's so amusing… fine, I'll go. Feel better, okay?" He replied, squeezing Sveta's hand and smiling at her. He then turned and left with the sailor, leaving the Mercury and Jupiter Adept alone. _

_ "I wonder where he gets that from," Sveta said lightly as she coughed lightly, and Rief smiled. _

_ "Oh, if my Mom is to be believed, Matthew takes very much so after his dad," Rief replied, and Sveta raised an eyebrow._

_ "Oh?" She questioned, and Rief shook his head in amusement. _

_ "Yeah… when the two parties got together during their quest to light the Lighthouses, apparently Isaac wouldn't let Jenna near the frontline for a week, until she knocked him out herself and took his place," Rief revealed, drawing a laugh out of the Jupiter Adept, thankful that at least Matthew wasn't that bad._

* * *

><p><em> Matthew rushed onto the deck, glancing to see the situation mostly under control. To his surprise, Eoleo was nowhere to be found, but the crew seemed to have the ship held down well, and relief was showing on most of their faces.<em>

_ "Looks like we're heading out of the storm…" The same sailor who had asked for Matthew's assistance commented, and Matthew nodded. _

_ "That sounds goo—er, what's that?" Matthew asked, pointing to balls of fire exploding in the air._

_ "…A might fine question, Master Matthew," The sailor replied, and Matthew moved to investigate. Looking over the railing, he raised his eye brows as he saw something he had not expected to see; Eoleo holding Himi, stranded on a smooth floating rock. _

_ Eoleo looked up from Himi's pale face and, seeing the Venus Adept's head sticking out from the ship's railing, screamed, "HELP! Get us on board!" _

_ Noticing the desperation in the man's voice and face, Matthew turned to the crew and shouted, "CLEAR THE DECK!" Satisfied that his mandate had been heard as the sailor's scurried out of the way, no doubt somewhat frightened by the roar the usually soft-spoken Venus Adept had produced, Matthew concentrated. After all, this was a situation he had never run into before, having only been on a ship for the first time in the past few months and having never tried to lift a rock out of the ocean._

_ He stretched out his arm, his palm facing upwards, and readied a strong stance. After a couple of deep breaths, he let out a grunt and thrust his palm upwards; in turn, the rock Eoleo and Himi sat upon lurched upwards, shaking a little as it did so, and rose from the ocean. Many of the soldiers simply gaped in astonishment, as Matthew tried to quickly get the rock over the ship and set it down. He knew not if the deck could support it, but he didn't feel safe about simply dropping Eoleo and Himi from that high up._

_ On the other hand, after wasting so much Psynergy trying to heal Sveta, he was now somewhat drained, and every second he held the rock in midair he felt his control slip on it a bit more. Matthew gritted his teeth as he slowly positioned it over the ship, and slowly began to lower it._

_ Eoleo was simply not enjoying himself. Yes, he was out of the ocean now, which was good, but he had nearly drowned in it, and was now flying through the air on a slab of rock. The day wasn't exactly going as he had planned when he had awoken that morning. Also, Eoleo was deathly worried about Himi… he had performed some CPR while waiting for one of the crew to notice his signals, but her skin was a terrifying pale hue, and her breathing was slight. _

_ He imagined she had swallowed plenty of water, and knew she needed medical attention sooner rather than later. So, he hastily urged Matthew on under his breath, and began to mutter "faster" as he grew closer to the ship's deck._

_ Finally, with a satisfying thud, the rock landed, and Eoleo leapt off, Himi in his arms. A quick nod to Matthew was the only other actions he made before jolting off the Gods-forsaken slab of rock that Himi had summoned and down the stairs. _

_ Matthew dusted his hands off, satisfied that he hadn't crashed a giant rock into the ship, bringing about the end of them all. He made his way to follow Eoleo and go back to see Sveta when he noticed Tyrell and Karis climbing down the rope ladder from the crow's nest._

_ "Oh, good, you two are okay!" He shouted, running to meet his friends as they landed on the deck. "Looks like you got a little ruffled from the storm though," Matthew commented, looking over their undone and somewhat torn clothing. _

_ "…Oh, yeah," Karis replied, her usually lucid eyes seemingly far off and spacey. "Yeah… lucky we got up there. And, er, down." She shot Tyrell a look that Matthew couldn't quite read. "Well, since it looks like we're getting out of the storm… I'll be in my room." She turned and headed toward the stairs without another word, and Matthew raised an eyebrow. _

_ Tyrell, filled with more cocky swagger than Matthew was accustomed to, walked forward and grasped his friend's hand. "Man, I love me some bad weather!" The Mars Adept raved, causing Matthew to grow instantly suspicious._

_ "Wait… aww, up in the crow's nest? We keep watch up there…" Matthew lamented, drawing a chuckle out of his best friend._

_ "Got to second base baby, and you're touching the hand that did it!" Tyrell only snickered louder as Matthew yanked his hand away, shaking it as he did so. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll be joining Karis in her room."_

_ Matthew said nothing, only shaking his head, but the smallest of grins popped onto his face as he followed after his friend below deck._

* * *

><p>"STOP!" Came a cry from the entrance to the throne room, and both Susa and Eoleo froze and turned. Both knew the voice well, and it brought a sincere and warm smile to Eoleo's face and a knowing frown to the king's.<p>

In the doorway stood Himi, the Princess of Yamata, and her face showed that she was none too happy about what she had walked into. "You two will not come to blows… I refuse to accept that!" She continued, glancing with worry between the two men she knew best.

As dire and heartfelt as her words were, they seemed to have little effect on Eoleo… as staring at Himi for the first time in nearly four years, he had once again become lost in her serene red eyes.

* * *

><p><em>You don't know how happy I am that this is done. Such a weight. Anyhow. Something I really dislike about writing so many fics and such is, generally, my review count goes down. I hate this, because I believe reviewing is every bit as important (if not moreso) than posting and updating. The other issue with this is I like leaving really long reviews, and I feel bad when I do that for some fics and not for others. Overall, I'm hoping to get more reviews in soon, and hopefully I can keep that up.<em>  
><em>As much as I hated getting this chapter finished, I really like the end result. Some nice action to add suspense, a cliffhanger that lets me continue the past storyline next chapter, and some cool character moments.<em>

_I thought Susa and Eoleo were a very interesting pair to write. Both obviously can't stand each other in a ton of ways, and being forced to be civil around each other is pretty classic. Susa is one of my favorite characters, actually, simply because he's such a angry jerk about a lot of things._

_I liked writing the Spark Shipping a lot. Making Tyrell into such a heroic doofus is always fun, and here he has a ton of great moments. I love him so. I equally loved turning Matthew into a worried and overprotective boyfriend, just because I could actually see his character being like that._

_I also really liked letting Eoleo fulfill the occupation of professional badass. I think he's the Felix of DD in the sense that when it comes to do some kind of death-defying action, he's probably going to be the person doing it. I never thought about it like that, but there really is some Felix in Eoleo._

_I had so much more I wanted to write, but I'm just exhausted, so I'll end here. Thanks for reading, sorry for the delays! MTJATE is due out this Sunday, because I still need some time to get back on my feet. See you then!_


	6. A Respite of Sorts

_And here we go again. Finally got this update, and am working on getting back on schedule… it doesn't help that I keep aiming for chapter lengths and overdoing them by 2,000 words or more. Anywho, here is the latest chapter of Something Worth Waiting For, starring a very angry Susa, a very weary Himi and Eoleo, and a special guest appearance! I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: A Respite of Sorts<p>

Eoleo smiled dumbly as he surveyed the reason he had nearly been executed and decided to barge into the city of Yamata. Suddenly, all of that didn't matter; how angry Susa had been, getting escorted by soldiers, his men being captured, all of this faded from his mind. Himi was in front of him, and that was all that mattered.

It would be such an understatement, to say that she had grown. What was once a twig of a girl was now a regal, though still slim, oak. She had shot up at least two heads… a good foot and a half from a guess. Her once cute, if childish, pigtails had been replaced with a free-flowing cut, and her jet black hair looked absolutely stunning.

Finally, as Eoleo had hoped, she had… filled out. From her curved hips to her chest, there was no doubt that who he had once known as a young girl was now a woman. Her red eyes were just as sharp and mysterious as ever, and even now he felt himself getting lost in them. Unbeknownst to Eoleo, his mouth slid open, and a string of drool was making its way through the crevice in his lips when he heard an angry grunt from beside him.

Glancing to see Himi blushing red, but smiling faintly, Eoleo then turned to see Susa doing anything but smiling. "MY DAUGHTER IS NOT HERE FOR YOU TO STARE AT!" Susa screamed, and Eoleo, despite the situation, had himself a hearty laugh.

"Oh, come now," Eoleo replied with a carefree wave, drawing a look of absolute disbelief from Susa. "I haven't seen Himi in four years now, I was just… surprised. She's grown up."

"Father," Himi started, her blush fading, before Susa could break into another rant. "Why was I not informed of Eoloe's arrival? He is a dear friend of mine from my journey, and no doubt is here to wish me a happy birthday."

"…He's a pir—" Susa began, but was cut off by a cough from Eoleo.

"Was a pirate," The sailor corrected, drawing a look from Susa similar to the gaze of the Serpent the king had once faced.

"IS AN IG—" Susa gulped as he witnessed Himi's gaze. He wasn't afraid of his daughter, but it was her birthday, and he supposed using some tact would be wise. "Is a person with a checkered past, who showed up unannounced at our shores. I simply was confirming who he was, not… doing anything else. I was actually just planning on getting you."

"Is that true?" Himi asked Eoleo, slight relief of her face, and the Champan gulped. He sneaked a peak towards Susa, who glowered at him with the clear message "Agree with me."

Eoleo sighed, and replied, "Actually, I fear we were about to come to blows when you intervened." Susa rolled his eyes, but held back his rage, somehow.

"Father!" Himi exclaimed, turning back towards Susa, her arms across her chest. "What is the meaning of that?"

"He was being rude! And questioning my authority!" Susa shouted in anger, and Himi grimaced but stood her ground.

"What did he say or do specifically?" Himi asked calmly, and Susa eyes widened before he coughed.

"Oh, er… we may have gotten into a slight disagreement about…" Susa began, clearly detesting every moment of the current conversation. "How I raise you. He said you should have more freedom, and…"

"I agree," Himi said shortly, walking up to Susa's throne slowly. As she passed Eoleo, she gave him a small smile, and out of instinct he raised his hand and rubbed her head. Her smile widened at that, but her face quickly turned hard as she passed him.

Eoleo rubbed his arm, as he sensed the tides of a great battle approaching; Susa's face was cold and merciless, while Himi walked with a confident, determined demeanor. With a slight gulp, it occurred to Eoleo that he had caused all of this, and had a bad feeling that Himi's slow walk towards her father was very much the calm before the storm.

Himi's mind featured the same fear… the appearance of Eoleo had led her to, amongst other things, decide that she had finally had enough of her father's overbearing nature. She knew her mother would support her in this as well, and seeing Eoleo in front of her gave her the strength to finally do what she had long wished to. That didn't mean that she wasn't scared, but still. It was time to act; she was not ready to choose a husband. Not at all.

Well… at least not Kati. She shook the idea of marrying Eoleo firmly out of her mind. They hadn't even kisse— oh, so that was a lie, but they had never been romantically involved whatsoever. Sure, seeing him now brought back memories of how dashing he had been during the quest, and he seemed to be just as fun-loving and handsome as he had been then, but they hadn't even talked in nearly four years.

Okay, that wasn't true, they had written so many letters back and forth, and yet… she still felt anxious around him. Himi had long suspected that Eoleo held romantic feelings for her, but had never been able to confirm that fact. So, being in the same room as him made her a little hot and bothered. Still, she was so happy that he was here; not only had he remembered her birthday, he was here in the flesh!

That thought brought one final smile to her face before she came in front of her father, and her face quickly dropped into an emotionless expression. She knew her father well, and knew that this was about to go very badly. But… it had to be done.

"Father, I know how much you care for me," She began, trying to play to his sympathies. "And I appreciate it. I truly do. You are caring, protective, and wonderful. But… I am eighteen now, and I have been old enough to make my own decisions for quite a few years now."

Susa sighed, and looked at her with weary eyes. "What are you getting at, Himi?" He asked, clearly understanding her but hoping that he was incorrect.

"I am not going to pick my husband today. There is no one in Yamata that I have found suitable to marry, and I do not want to rush such a large life decision," Himi said, speaking slowly and calmly even as Susa's knuckles became visible in his silent anger. "I am prepared to live outside your house if you no longer accept me, but it is time that I make my own decisions in life, rather than have you lead me through it. I am sorry, I know this must be hard for you."

Susa remained silent for a few stark moments, his fingers falling onto his throne's armrest in a rhythmic pattern, before his eyes opened up, burning with fury and disappointment. "It is hard on me," He said bluntly. "But it will be harder on you."

Susa suddenly rose, and while Himi's lip quivered she did not back away. As such, Lord Susa marched to meet her, stopping a mere foot away. "You have been poisoned, Himi," Susa began bluntly, his face rigid and filled with annoyance. "With these ideas of freedom and adventure. I once valued those ideals above all else, and it got me nowhere in life. In fact, it very nearly ruined it. I was a rebel, an idiot, a young boy who was incredibly defiant and—"

"Unbearably stubborn," Himi finished for him, and Susa sputtered momentarily, so stunned by what he had heard.

"…There are some things if life that you must be steadfast in, Himi, and I have tried to focus on those," Susa said, trying to be nice, as hard as it was given the situation.

"Father, freedom was not what you did as a boy," Himi retorted quietly but with gravity, stepping forward, and cutting the distance in between them in half. "You were a brash and foolish young man who put roughhousing, rabble-rousing, and mischief above anything else, not freedom. In no way do I ask for freedom so that I may run around and act as you did in your past; I think you know me well enough to realize I would NOT lift up the skirts of girls, or in my case I suppose pull down the pants of men, nor spike the punch at a birthday party with Dragonsbane."

The look on Susa's face was so doused in shock that Eoleo had to turn away and stuff his mouth into his arm to keep from laughing. The sailor had decided to keep score in the argument, and while he had more than a slight bias, he doubted anyone would argue that the current score was: Himi – 1, Susa – 0.

"…Your mother has told you much too much of my past," Susa replied wearingly. "I… suppose that is true, Himi, but you have to understand that I did things beyond such trivial matters that had larger consequences. And those stupid pranks nearly caused your mother to never speak to me again."

"The stupid pranks we have decided I will not commit," Himi responded, still perfectly calm. Susa bit his lip as he surveyed the fire in her eyes. Kushinada had it too, yes, but the only time he had ever seen such passion was when he had stared into a mirror. Why couldn't she have taken on his less aggravating traits? Like his love for the ocarina?

"And, if this is about what I think it really is about," Himi continued, uncertainty flashing across her face for the briefest of moments. "The day you supposedly awoke the Serpent." Susa gasped loudly, but Himi swallowed and continued. "I am fairly sure that there are no ancient spirits situated around Yamata for me to awaken, and in general I believe I have better foresight than you do. My head, if you recall, is imbued with the Third Eye, which gives me an otherworldly perception of this plane of existence."

Susa groaned and grasped his head in his hands. First his daughter starts rattling off about a number of different things and instances she shouldn't know about, and THEN she begins to delve into the "Third Eye." Whenever she so much opened her mouth about the damned relic (or whatever it was), he became more lost than when he had tried to get through Mt. Mikage's damned maze all those years ago.

"Please, father; I know I am still young, but I have reached the age of adulthood, and need to live my own life," Himi prodded, reaching out her hand and gently touching Susa's arm. "Well?"

Susa sighed, and closed his eyes for several seconds, before they flashed open and he replied resolutely, "No."

"Oh, come on! I've been keeping count, if this was a trial the judge would have ruled in her favor halfway through!" Eoleo interjected, and Susa flashed a glare or rage in the Champan's direction

"It's YOU! YOU are the problem afflicting my daughter!" Susa raged, moving past Himi and making long strides toward Eoleo. "You and that damned quest! I just wanted my poor little girl to get over her illnesses, and grow up happily, marry an honorable husband, and live a joy filled life. BUT NO!"

The very timbers of the palace shook as Susa shouted. "You and your group of… troublemakers came and put Gods knows whatever that thing is!" He made a vague jutting motion to Himi's forehead, "into her brain, and whisked her away! I should have never allowed it! I have seen and heard about the cruelties of this world, and can only imagine what she actually saw. Of course, she just told me that it had been fine, that she had been safe, because she didn't want me to worry, but I saw the look of fear and regret in her eyes for at least a year."

Himi's eyes widened in surprise, and Susa turned to her and nodded sadly. "You didn't think I noticed?" He whispered longingly, shaking his head. "My poor little girl, put through horror after horror. I wanted to save you from a life like that after I nearly lost your mother to that infernal Serpent, and then the fucking beast's ghost appeared and stole my sister!"

Susa breathed in a sigh, and shook his head. "And I don't doubt it tried to take you as well. You were so sick, as a child… and just when you finally seem to be recovering, the worst batch of illness struck. And, then what? You get taken away by a pirate, and a beastgirl, and a rag-tag group of adventurers who think they could stop the greatest natural calamity since the Mourning Moon!"

"We did stop it!" Eoleo retorted, but Susa shrugged.

"Not before its damage was far-spread and terrible," The king replied, and Eoleo bit his tongue; as many issues as he had with Susa, the Venus Adept had a point. "Is that so much to ask? To see my child grow in my own city, and to keep her from such danger as this?" Susa asked, directly towards Eoleo. "While I despise you, you honestly care for Himi, do you not? What makes you think that she can survive on her own? When has she ever? What if the charms in place here are all that keep her safe and alive?"

"She was fine when she was with us—"

"With seven powerful adepts," Susa interjected, and Eoleo frowned.

"I thought we were rag-tag adventurers?" The sailor countered, and Susa bit his lip.

"You're not as dumb as you look, Eoleo," Susa replied, and Eoleo realized that was the closest he was going to get to a compliment today. "But my point remains. Himi is a weak girl; inside her is a beautiful and strong spirit, but I worry for her health and future even now. So much so, that I see fit to keep her within my house, and help her decide who she marries. I give her a good life, and only do what I think is best. What fault is there with that?"

"None, father, and that is why I never brought this up until today," Himi replied, striding forward and turning Susa to face her. "Today I am eighteen, and an adult. That is where the fault lies. This celebration you've been planning, this wedding… it's still you trying to control my life. And, I understand, more than I ever have why. But I am my own woman, and want to live freely."

Susa sighed, and shook his head. "You're quite fond of him then, aren't you?" He asked, pointing to Eoleo. "Someone who does as they wish? Lives freely? In constant danger. I wonder what your letters were like, with he no doubt advising you to leave, run away, become 'free?' It could be worse. At least you're not in love with him or anything ridiculous like that."

"Right," Himi replied just a little too quickly, coughing after she did so. She did the best to hide her blush from her face, but wondered how well she had managed.

Susa eyed her wearingly, and simply shook his head. He would pretend that he hadn't seen that. "At any rate… if you wish to remain in Yamata and become the priestess you were meant to be, your choice is clear: do as I say, or you shall leave." Susa nodded to himself as he made his proclamation, then turned and began a quiet walk back to his throne. Himi was simply dumbstruck, while Eoleo was so fed-up that he was about to start flinging Mars Psynergy at the king when a voice parted the silence.

"Susa, would you mind telling me why you just threatened to exile our daughter?" Kushinada asked with annoyance but the faintest trace of amusement, walking into the throne room with an air of grace but unquestioning power.

Susa simply heaved over and sighed. Today just kept getting worse, and worse, and worse. Everything that was supposed to be merry and good, like the homecoming of his dear wife, or his daughter's eighteenth birthday was turning into the opposite. And there didn't seem to be much that he could

* * *

><p><em>do. Eoleo stared down at Himi's frail body, and for the first time in his life, he honestly wished he had been born a Mercury Adept. Anything to heal the Venus Adept, whose pale skin caused his heart to sink further and further. Eoleo had shut up after bursting into the medical ward shouting, "Rief, heal her!" and briefly describing what had happened. The last thing he wanted to do was interrupt the young Imillian, as healing often took the utmost focus.<em>

_ Matthew had quietly slipped into the room and given Eoleo a supportive pat on the back before moving towards Sveta and taking the seat next to her bed. Similarly, the beastgirl had sent Eoleo many a comforting and empathetic look; it was common knowledge how fond the pirate was of the young princess who lied unconscious after her rough excursion into the ocean. _

_ So, while Matthew and Sveta were gravely worried for Himi, and hoped she would be okay, even sadder to them was Eoleo's utterly broken look. They had only seen it once before, when he had hovered over the corpse of his father, before bravely standing and guiding them through the Eclipse-infested water. _

_ Eoleo's thoughts hung completely on Himi, wondering what on Weyard was taking so long. Was Rief trying to revive her? That didn't make any sense, he would have asked Matthew. What if Himi was already dead, and beyond Revive? What if Rief was just pretending that he was examining and healing her while he put together how to break the news? _

_ …Alright, that was just plain not true. Still, it showed the worry consuming Eoleo, and he was beside himself as to what he could do. Himi looked so pale, so deathly pale, but he swore her tiny chest was still rising in crests and troughs, and that a tiny sniffle was coming from her nose. And she had spoken to him, so she must not have too much water in her lungs. Realizing that he was going to drive himself insane if he kept the guessing up, Eoleo sighed and resigned to keep his mind off whether or not Himi would live or die. Something that was much, much easier said than done._

_ After several minutes had passed, and Eoleo knew not how much longer he could stand waiting, Rief breathed a sigh of relief, and moved away from Himi. He didn't get very far. "HOW IS SHE!" Eoleo shouted, lifting up Rief and shaking him to such a degree that the young man's glasses flew from his face. _

_ "E-E-OLEO, P-PUT ME D-DOWN!" Rief shouted, already feeling seasick enough considering the typhoon. Eoleo paused, and then quickly did as Rief said._

_ "Er, sorry about that," The pirate replied nervously, and Rief just shook his head._

_ "It's, it's fine…" Rief responded, though he secretly was cursing the fact that his back was now experiencing sharp pains. "And she'll be okay too," He continued, pointing to Himi. Eoleo leaned over in relief, letting out a deep breath. "I mean, she went into freezing, rough water, so she swallowed a bit of it and needs to get warmed up, but she'll be healthy with a night of rest."_

_ "What took so long, then?" Eoleo asked, wiping sweat from his face._

_ "Oh, well, since she had been under so long, I needed to check for brain damage," Rief replied, drawing an immensely concerned look from Eoleo. "AND BEFORE YOU PICK ME UP AND SHAKE ME AGAIN, I checked diligently and there seemed to be little. There were a few oddities here and there, but I wasn't sure how much of that was the Third Eye."_

_ "But everything's functioning?" Eoleo asked cautiously, and Rief sighed. _

_ "Yes, everything's fine," Rief replied, trying to pat Eoleo on the shoulder but only making it to the Champan's forearm. "She'll be awake by tomorrow morning, and should be completely healthy. You're welcome to stay and keep a watch on her." Eoleo's face lit up at that, and Rief smiled. His bed-side manner still wasn't on par with his mothers, but it was getting there. _

_ "Yeah, I think I'll do that. As soon as I make sure everything above deck is going well," Eoleo said, giving Rief a large pat on the back and nearly sending him careening into Himi's bed. "Be right back. Look after her for me, will you guys?" The other three Adepts nodded, and Eoleo gave a smile and nod of thanks before turning and darting back out the door._

_ "Poor thing… I can't believe she fell overboard," Sveta whimpered, sending a prayer thanking the Gods that Himi was safe. _

_ "Eoleo was really heroic, though. Apparently he just dived in after her… we'll have to get the whole story later," Matthew replied, rubbing Sveta's head._

_ "What about you?" Sveta asked with her signature grin, always present whenever she found fit to tease Matthew. "Didn't you lift a rock out of the ocean and place it on the ship? That must have been difficult."_

_ Matthew grinned sheepishly, and shrugged. "Oh, no, it was nothing… just doing my job."_

_ "So modest," Sveta replied, and Rief coughed to get their attention. _

_ After they both turned to face the Mercury Adept, he said, "Not to interrupt your flirting, but I still need to give my medical input for Sveta." The beastgirl and Matthew coughed at the mention of flirting, and looked away from each other briefly. _

_ "So," Rief continued, shaking his head with a smile at the couple, "You should be fine by tomorrow as well, Sveta. It's just a cold, albeit one which I think might be a bit worse when contracted by Beastmen, but with my healing your body should force it out quickly. I didn't want to do it all myself, as removing disease by Psynergy alone can shock an immune system, but I did more than enough to get you back on your feet. As with Eoleo, feel free to stay with her Matthew. Just, not on the bed, so you don't get it yourself." Rief turned with another smile, having caused thorough blushes on the couples' faces. _

_ "You should get to sleep soon, Sveta… try to sleep it off," Matthew said, and Sveta shrugged._

_ "To be honest, I'm still fairly awake… I'll try, though," She replied, changing her response midway at Matthew's worried look. "In any case, you don't have to sleep in here, though I would appreciate it if you did. I'll be fine if you'd prefer your bed."_

_ "No, I'd rather be here," Matthew replied warmly, rubbing her arm. "Besides… I think my room might be occupied. Tyrell and Karis."_

_ "Ah," Sveta giggled, before rearing back and yawning mightily. When she reopened her eyes, Matthew was already searching for pillows to make a make-shift bed, and she sighed, realizing that he had taken the yawn as an excuse to stop conversing so that she would attempt to rest. With a disappointed shrug, she leaned back, and soon found herself growing drowsier and drowsier. _

_ After several minutes, Sveta began to purr softly in her sleep, and Matthew sent her a loving and warm look before taking his seat once more, not quite tired enough to head to bed himself._

* * *

><p><em> Eoleo rushed quickly onto the deck, only to sigh happily at the wisps of sunlight peaking through the clouds, and the lack of torrential rain and wind. They had weathered the storm… albeit with a few mishaps. Only two of his crew (which was small enough to begin with, there being only six men on board and then himself and the Adepts… and Kraden, who unsurprisingly wasn't exactly suited for ship-work) remained on deck, although they were joined by Amiti who was… conversing with them?<em>

_ "So, if we're headed to Tonfon, we probably want to drift a little north due to the direction of the wind," Amiti mused as Eoleo approached, gaining nods from the two pirates listening to Amiti._

_ "…You know how to man a ship?" Eoleo asked, and Amiti turned to him with a smile instead of a frown; a nice change. _

_ "Yes, I suppose," The Ayuthayan replied, turning towards the sea. "I learned when I was young, but I find much of the terminology and instincts returning to me. If you'd like, I can help navigate and steer tonight."_

_ "That would be wonderful, I was going to stay down with Himi," Eoleo replied with a smile. He and Amiti were actually having a decent conversation. Odd. "I also meant to thank you for the work you did with the Ocean while we were getting smacked about the typhoon."_

_ "Just doing my part," Amiti replied, nodding. "At any rate, you should get down to Himi, I'll work with the… sailors up here and get us to Tonfon. Tell her I said hello when she awakens."_

_ "Will do," Eoleo replied, turning and running back into the ship._

* * *

><p><em> It was a long night, but Eoleo hadn't really expected to get much sleep in the first place. Matthew had similarly been unable to count enough sheep to dream of meadows as it were, so Eoleo had taken the time to converse with the younger man, mostly about their quest, as well as the Venus Adept's newfound relationship with Sveta. <em>

_ Since befriending Himi, Eoleo had pleasantly grown more fond and comfortable around the rest of the party. At first, he had just felt awkward about befriending people half his age, even though they were very mature. But, now that he was friends with the youngest member of the party, he really didn't see any issue with getting to know everyone else. Matthew was actually very interesting to converse with: despite regular bouts of silence, the Venus Adept was filled with many interesting ideas and notions… it just took some prodding to get them out. _

_ As of now, however, Matthew was asleep, but Eoleo wasn't. Instead, he still watched over Himi, not wanting her to wake up in the middle of the night, but still just wanting to see her eyes peak open; an absolute confirmation that she was okay, and would be fine. _

_ Eoleo had never really had much of anything to watch out for in his life. It just hadn't been in the cards; his mother and great-grandmother were both fiercely independent, and even when he was getting up there in age Briggs would sail into full combat without a second though. _

_ He had never had to worry for someone close to him before, and the sudden loss of his father combined with his just as surprising friendship with Himi… well, he worried about her. Constantly. And it was just plain weird, because it was a feeling he had never had to deal with. It's not that he disliked it; well, he disliked seeing her in life-threatening situations, but he didn't dislike the fact that he cared for her to such a degree that he wanted to protect her. That he felt that responsibility._

_ Eoleo sighed, and gently raised his hand to Himi's head, rubbing it affectionately. For a brief moment, Himi's stoic and sleeping face was coated with a blissful smile, but then she slipped back to her dreams, leaving Eoleo to wonder if he had imagined it. He worried about her nightmares, but at least tonight it appeared that she was sleeping peacefully. That was good… she deserved it._

_ Eoleo smiled, as a fact he had long known finally truly sank in: that he had grown so close to the young princess, against all odds. Himi was such a change from what he was used to, being stoic rather than rowdy, thoughtful rather than impulsive, sweet rather than salty. It made sense to him now, that he had grown to love her, but…_

Ugh, _Eoleo thought as the reality of what he had just uttered in his mind occurred to him. He thought he had gotten over any and all concepts of his feelings for Himi, but it was kind of hard to ignore them. Eoleo tried to think of himself as a, at the least, good man, and knew that he would help someone if they fell over-board. But he doubted he would have acted as rashly and without regard for his own being as he had when Himi had reached her arm out in futility before being flung off the deck. _

_ It had roused a lot of feelings in him that he had never really felt before. Of course, Eoleo had been with women; plenty, in fact. He had a certain rough charm to him, and was smoother with his lips than one might expect. At the least, smooth enough to get most of the women he sought favors from out of their pants. And sure, sex was great, and he had enjoyed many of the escapades he had been through. But they had been hollow, not pristine like what was in front of him. _

_ Himi was so grounded, and so angelic. So different from anyone he had met before. With the previous women he had thrown himself at, it had been about the size of their breasts, how likely they were to say yes, and on the rare occasion that he decided to actually commit to a stable relationship with a girl from Champa, how good a mother they would be, and whether or not he could stand living with them for the rest of his life._

_ So, why on Weyard had he found everything he wanted, yet had never realized he wanted, in a princess from Yamata? Couldn't he have struck lucky and found a prostitute with a heart of gold? Or a nice Champan girl who he actually felt something toward? No, instead it had to be the girl in front of him. The one girl he couldn't have._

_ Eoleo chuckled sadly at that… he would be crazy to even consider it. Ignoring the age gap, which was impossible to ignore in the first place, they lived two very different lives. The fact that they even knew each other was simply fate. Still, it hurt. To finally have something worth fighting for, and no way to fight for it. Yes, he would keep her safe, no doubt about that, but that was not the battle he would face if he ever let the notion that he had a chance find its way into his brain. _

_ Maybe it was a question of patience. Briggs had always said that his son would rather eat the boar raw than carry it for a few hours and roast it. That even though a pirate was quick and ruthless, patience had its place. That sometimes, it wasn't a question of something worth fighting for, but something worth waiting for. He doubted waiting was an option, but it was all that was open to him now. Waiting for her to open her eyes, waiting to end the Eclipse and avenge his father, waiting till maybe, just maybe she came of age, and the stars aligned. _

_ "Maybe," Eoleo whispered, as he leaned back in his chair and came to an uneasy, if necessary sleep. Of course, it would only last two hours, and he would then be jarred awake by the sun, and find himself once more content to stare over Himi until she awoke herself._

* * *

><p><em> Himi's eyes fluttered open… vague images and feelings seemed to slam into her mind again and again. Being ripped away into wind, endless blue, lungs being violently probed with water, large arms wrapping around her, and finally the crisp kiss of sunlight before darkness ruled. <em>

_ "Oh thank goodness," She heard a voice exclaim to her side, and, curious, she turned and squinted to see the speaker. After a moment, she realized it was Eoleo._

_ "Welcome back," Eoleo whispered, weariness but immense relief present in his voice. "You scared the living hell out of me."_

_ Himi breathed out and turned onto her back. So, she wasn't dead. That was good. "The next time I tell you I want to walk around in the wind by putting my feet in rocks," She whispered slowly, nausea replacing her confusion, "throw me below deck."_

_ Eoleo let out hearty laughter, and rubbed her head. "I'll strap you to my back next time, how's that?" He jested, and she sighed. That would have been much more preferable. _

_ "We're out of the storm then? And everyone's alright?" Himi asked, and Eoleo shook his head. Nearly dies from getting thrown off a ship during a typhoon, and is worried about everyone else. Typical Himi._

_ "Oh yeah, everyone's fine… we got out of it about an hour after you fell under," Eoleo replied, and Himi breathed a sigh of relief. "But, I heard some moaning coming from Karis's room… but I think Tyrell went to look out for her, so she should be fine. Still… he started moaning too, so he might have gotten it as well."_

_ "…Why are you smirking?" Himi asked pointedly as Eoleo burst into chuckles. Rolling her eyes and concluding that she really didn't want to know, she then said, "On a more serious note… I'm sorry I made you risk your life. I was foolish for staying on deck when I'm so slight and such a… liability." She frowned as she finished, causing a similar expression on Eoleo's face._

_ "It went badly, Himi, but that could have happened to anyone," He replied, patting her on the shoulder. "I was very impressed by how willing you were to put yourself in the eye of the storm."_

_ "But it was for selfish reasons!" She exclaimed, and Eoleo eyed her with concern before she coughed and glanced away from him. "I wanted to prove to… myself, and to you I guess, that I'm not just a weak little girl who doesn't belong on this quest," Himi whispered sullenly. "I've spent so much of my life sick, and so much of it protected… I don't mind that people want to protect me, but… I want to be free. I don't want to weight those around me down."_

_ "Himi, I let you on deck because, even though I knew it was risky, I knew how much it meant to you," Eoleo replied after a moment, staring downward himself. "I wanted to show you that I trusted you, and I still do. You're incredibly strong. The strongest of all of us, probably, you just refuse to believe it. Don't apologize for wanting to matter, for wanting to be strong. Without you, we wouldn't have any idea what we are doing, let alone be this close to stopping the Eclipse. Believe in yourself, you're special."_

_ Eoleo had always been notoriously shitty at giving uplifting speeches and things of that nature, but to his surprise Himi's face lit up as he finished. "You're so kind, Eoleo," She whispered, and with slight awe he realized her eyes were beginning to water. "That means a lot to me."_

_ "My Dad always told me that… well…" Eoleo began, reaching out his hand and wrapping it around Himi's. "That a lot of life is believing in yourself, but that you can't do that until someone else believes in you. As much as my great-grandma nagged him and berated him, he told me that she was the first person who really put her faith in him. His dad died young, and his mom kind of became a shell after that, but Obaba told Briggs that he could lead Champa to glory. Of course, that ended up being under a skull and crossbones, which nearly led her to flay him, but the point is that her vote of confidence led him to become the man he was. My Mom helped with that too, but Obaba was the first."_

_ "I'd like to meet your great-grandmother. What you say rings with truth," Himi replied, and she squeezed two of Eoleo's fingers with her hand. "I'm glad, then, that you believe in me. It means a lot to me, Eol."_

_ "I'm glad too, Him-Him," Eoleo whispered, grinning as she frowned._

_ "…Who told you could give me a nickname, let alone THAT," Himi retorted quietly, but with a spark of amusement in her eyes. "I think I'll rest for a bit longer. You should go to your room, and rest. The circles under your eyes are much too dark." Eoleo raised a hand in protest, but she jabbed her finger into his chest, nearly causing him to lose balance. "That wasn't a suggestion. Sleep. Take a nap, and I'll see you later."_

_ "Okay, mom," Eoleo replied with a roll of his eyes, and Himi smiled. And here he had thought that HE was in charge of watching out for her mere hours ago. The idea of having Himi watching over him wasn't so bad, though. Because it meant she cared, and that meant the world to him._

_ "That was so adorable," Matthew whispered to Sveta after Eoleo left the room, the couple having spent the last ten minutes watching the exchange between the Mars and Venus Adept. The beastgirl nodded jovially in agreement as Himi winced, having not noticed her friends until now._

_ "…Good grief," Himi muttered, shaking her head and laying back down upon her pillow, though she smiled as she turned away from them. Somehow, despite the turmoil the last twenty four hours had held, she couldn't remember feeling quite this wonderful in her entire life._

* * *

><p>"Ah! Eoleo!" Kushinada exclaimed, moving further into the room and, to Himi's surprise and Susa's absolute horror, she dropped into a quick curtsy. "It is nice to meet you… well, to meet you more formally. I believe I was quite under the weather the first time you entered our home. I apologize for the… rocky entry."<p>

Eoleo was so shocked he literally didn't know what to say. He knew from Himi that Kushinada was much more kind and less dominating that Susa, but this isn't what he had expected from her, mostly because Himi had confessed to not sharing any of their letters with her mother.

Susa was a bit more shocked, however. "KUSHINADA! That man is an outlaw, and has corrupted our daughter beyond repair! And I don't even know to what degree, considering I haven't seen these damned letters they've been sending back and forth…" He grumbled, and Kushinada rolled her eyes.

"I have… or at least I know what they contain," Kushinada replied, drawing more gasps and stares. Kushinada coughed before glancing at Himi guiltily. "I'm sorry Himi… but as your mother I needed to make sure you were not putting yourself in danger, and when Shari told me you were exchanging mail with… well, the Prince of the Pirates," She patted Eoleo on the shoulder while giving him a remorseful look, and once more Eoleo questioned if this was really happening.

"I needed to look into it, and asked Shari about it. But I was pleasantly surprised when Shari told me how kind and nice of a man you were," She continued. "As such, I have no problem with Eoleo's presence in our home."

"I do," Susa replied hastily, rising from his throne once more. "And here I thought she got her stubbornness from me. Kushinada, you let her exchange letters with this pirate?" He asked accusingly, and Kushinada stepped forward, showing no trace of fear.

"You know, once upon a time," She reminisced, rubbing her side longingly, "I wanted to spend all my time with this rash, idiotic boy who tried to impress me by mistreating other women and who acted half his age. Long story short, he grew up to be the king of Yamata. Funny how judging people on first impressions can blow up in someone's face, huh? If I had done as you do now, our daughter wouldn't exist."

"…Why does my entire family conspire against me today," Susa lamented, rubbing his forehead. "My… my wife just compared me to a pirate. I am lost for words."

"Good, because I have a few more to get in," Kushinada continued, moving forward and meeting her husband. "I missed you, to begin with." She kissed Susa tenderly on the lips, and Eoleo smirked as she pulled back, leaving Susa slightly dazed.

From the Champan's perspective, Himi's mom was ROCKING. He had figured most of Himi's better qualities had come from Kushinada after spending so much "quality time" with Susa, but she was impressing him more and more with every passing second. And, for someone past fifty… to put it politely, Eoleo was surprised Susa had only seen fit to father two children. Mars knows the palace had plenty of room for more.

"You two shouldn't stay and listen to us bicker and argue," Kushinada said suddenly, and Eoleo chuckled. Looked like Kushinada was on Himi's side, a fact that made Eoleo very happy. "Please… feel free to go to Himi's room. Shari will be there to supervise you." Himi and Eoleo both had a feeling that the guarantee of Shari's presence was done more for Susa's sake than the Queen's own.

"Shari… knew she was exchanging letters with a pirate, and… OH, that woman! I bet she's the one who told Himi about me waking the Serpent! I will throw her out of this—" Susa began to roll into a rant before Kushinada silenced him.

"You will not throw out our most dedicated and honorable servant. Period," She retorted, and Himi nudged Eoleo.

"Shouting is about to take place, of such a level I have not seen since Takeru decided to leave Yamata. We should listen to my mother and make way to my room," Himi instructed quietly, and Eoleo nodded, following her as she began to walk towards the door. Eoleo did his best to keep his eyes on the back of her head, but found it difficult, as her butt had such a nice swaying motion…

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF! STOP STARING AT MY DAUGHTER'S ASS, YOU CHAMPAN BUFFOON! I'LL" Susa shouted just before the doors closed behind Eoleo, who palmed his face. Himi flashed him a confused and then thoroughly embarrassed look before shifting her gaze forward. Eoleo silently cursed Susa as he continued to follow her, deciding that if he did not hear the man speak again for the rest of his life, it would be a blessing. Kind of an issue since he was madly in love with his daughter.

Still, in the back of his mind, he wished Kushinada luck in dousing the King's rage, a sentiment Himi shared, though her mind couldn't help but gravitate toward what her father had shouted as they had exited. They definitely had some… catching up to do. Both swallowed, dreading yet excited for the reunion they had anticipated for nearly four years, as they entered Himi's room and Eoleo shut the door behind them.

* * *

><p><em>This one had a good five day stretch of me trying to get it done. I was about halfway the last four days, but I just couldn't get it to work. It did now though, which is good.<em>

_I'm worried about spelling and grammar errors, since I'm uploading it after only a quick run-through because I am tired and it is late. Hopefully I picked up on the major ones._

_Uh, about the actual chapter… this one had a lot going on, obviously. I tried to make Susa a bit more sympathetic here, and in the next chapter, where there's actually a Susa and Kushinada section (that is going to be such a gigantic chapter… jeez), that will continue. Oh, and Kushinada. I love writing her :) . Did anyone else think they looked really young in the game still, considering how old they should be? Not the first time I've wondered if Lemurian Draught made its way into the world after the seal broke (oh, and that might come up later)._

_While I love Eoleo, he kind of is… a slightly seedy guy in some respects. I mean, it's obvious he's seen some things (and some stuff!), and you get a bit of his more lewd side in this chapter (checks out Himi's mom, what a player). That also is going to come up in the next chapter, with Tyrell being along for the ride as it were. Yeah, I'm excited to write that :P ._

_The plot's moving ahead pretty well… and only a few more characters/plotlines need to be introduced. Overall, I'm happy where this fic is and where it's headed. It's one of my favorites to write. With that being said, I'm going to leave off here, and sleep. Hopefully I can start getting back into a one post every three days kind of deal, so look out for MTJATE in the near future. Thanks for reading!_


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